A Whole New World
by CarVie16
Summary: Part 5 of "Forever Wicked". Mal wakes up in an alternate reality where the villains reign supreme and the heroes struggle to survive. Being the only person who remembers a life before this twisted reality, will Mal choose to adjust to her new life in this new world or will she seek to fix everything that is wrong? (Sequel to "Poor Unfortunate Souls")
1. Penance

**Hello and welcome to Part 5 of my "Forever Wicked" series. As you can tell by the title (and if you read Part 4 - "Poor Unfortunate Souls"), it's a whole new world. Basically, it's an AU that is also a sequel. Wow.**

 **If you're new and haven't read the first four parts, go to my profile where I left a list of the titles of Parts 1 - 4 (and the prologue).**

 **Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is** **always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the final chapter of "Poor Unfortunate Souls": DragonEmperor999, Carvie12, danifan3000, MaliceMalAmyMalevFaery, CC, TheGreatGodzilla, xez2003, Guest**

 ** _To TheGreatGodzilla_: I know Mal deserved punishment for her crimes. It's just that you didn't have to keep saying "Mal deserves to be executed" over and over and over again. But nice one on the "vengeance vs. stubbornness" to describe Mal and Uma's rivalry. It seems like a perfect way to sum it up.**

 ** _To CC_: Well, basically, yes. The timeline has been changed. But it's best to read the story and wait to see what'll happen.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own Descendants.**

 **WARNING: Rated T for themes and violence**

 _"Dear Diary,_

 _This is pretty much the first time I've written to you. In this new world, that is. The diary from my world doesn't exist anymore. So, the two of us are gonna have to acquaint. Maybe for the rest of my life. I don't know. Everything is a blur now. A dark, unforgiving blur. Much like me. But enough about that. Where do I start? Oh, there's too many places to start, but I guess I should start with why I'm writing to you._

 _It's been exactly 29 days since I woke up into this new world. A world I created. Long story short, Uma wanted to change the world using a magical wishing well. She almost half-succeeded, but I had to add my magic to the mix to prevent her from getting what she wants. The result? A world even worse than what I had imagined. Just because this world isn't Uma's, it doesn't mean it's any better. The villains rule all Auradon now. My mother is at the top of it all. That's right. The villains have won. I didn't just change reality. I changed history. To keep it simple, instead of the villains being locked up on the Isle of the Lost, there was a war. A war that lasted 5 years. The villains, as I mention, won. The heroes are either dead or in hiding. My mother mentioned a resistance, but who knows how big or small it is._

 _As for me, well, I have it all. At least, what the old me ever wanted. A mother who's proud of me. A luxury bedroom I can call my safe haven. Feared and respected by the entire kingdom. A lifetime supply of strawberries. Okay, that last one wasn't exactly what the old me wanted or expected, but you get the point. But I'm living the good life. The good bad life. I can't deny that a part of me is loving this, but a huge part of me knows this is all wrong. It's not real. It's just an illusion created by a stupid wishing well. I didn't wish for all this. As far as I'm concerned, everything I created is random. If I ever wished for anything, I'd want to change myself completely. Be the good girl that everyone expected me to be. But I haven't changed. I'm still the same me I've always been. I may not possess my mother's scepter anymore, but the transformation I went through when I touched it, it still remains inside of me._

 _My mother. Oh, how I wish she were proud of me for real. For being a sort-of good girl. Not this ruthless, heartless vixen she believes I am. For the past 29 days, I had to keep up the act. That includes acting like a bad girl, which isn't exactly hard. The hardest part so far was what happened on the anniversary of the villains' victory. Apparently, in this world, since I was 13, my mom presents me with an innocent life to execute just for the fun of it. I know. It's sick. Hypocritical, I know. The next victim was a member of the resistance. A husband. A father. A soldier. I was asked to behead him. But I didn't. I put my sword down in front of everyone. But I knew that I couldn't risk suspicions. So, I burned that poor man alive. He screamed and screamed as his body slowly turned to ash. The villains, as you expect, cheered at the sight of it. You'd think I'd feel pleasure for burning someone alive, well, I didn't feel it. I felt disgusted with myself. The worse part, I barely hesitated._

 _I've kept myself locked up in my room since then. I just couldn't swallow the fact that this is the world I'm living in right now. It's horrible. Everything and everyone I touch, I'm worse than poison. But now, I'm done hiding. it's time I get out there, familiarize myself with this new world, and see how I can manage all this. Like mom said, I'm gonna rule it all one day. Might as well start by getting to know everyone all over again, if they don't remember anything. Whoever's alive, at least._

 _I just wish the others are okay. Maybe they've gotten better or worse, but I would really like to see them. Evie. Jay. Carlos. Ben. Oh, Bennyboo. I miss you._

 _'Til next time  
\- Mal"_

Mal shuts her diary, makes it disappear (hiding it somewhere no one would ever find it), and then lies down on her very soft, very terrifying bed. She was going nuts just staying in her room all month. She wonders why she hasn't gone psycho like CJ yet. So far, all she's done is check what's on the darknet (which is the "internet" in this new world), watch TV shows directed and written by the villains' sidekicks, and lie down all day. She ordered for her meals to be served to her in her bedroom. She wouldn't leave for any reason. Not for her mother. Not for visits. Not for goblins arguing outside her room..

But now, she's ready to get out.

"You're trapped in this nightmare, Mal. You did this to yourself. You want to pay for your penance, then here's your payment to the world," she said to herself.

Mal grabs her purple jacket from the coat rack, arms herself with a sword, slips on her favorite shoes, made sure her favorite dagger was safely stored in her show, and blew the purple locks off her face with a smirk on her face. Conjuring a little bit of fire, Mal throws a fireball at the wall, precisely at her infamous "Long Live Evil" graffiti artwork. Hey, if anyone is allowed to mess with her artworks, it's her.

"Burn in hell, they say? Well, here I am, only I'm the one who's gonna supply the burn," said Mal.

Mal kicks her doors open. She's really ready get out of her room and explore the new world. First things first, she has to talk to her mother.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Mal walked to the throne room, but she can sense her mother's magic coming from somewhere else. Maleficent was in a room with a giant oval-shaped table in the middle. You can say it was the castle's conference room. Mal wondered why her mother would keep the conference room that way it is besides making everything dark and sinister. All meetings take place in the throne room anyways.

"Mother," Mal called.

"Well, well, look who finally decided to leave her room," said Maleficent. She sounded a bit annoyed. "Care to explain yourself, missy?"

Mal did not say a word. She just looked at her mother with a near expressionless look on her face.

"You burn that knight alive and then you retreat to your quarters like a recluse. You refused to leave under any circumstance. Quite odd, I must say," said Maleficent.

"I came here to tell you that I won't be available for the next day or two," said Mal. "I'm gonna go out and breath the fresh, rotten air. Like you said, I've been acting like a recluse for the past few weeks."

"So, you finally come out and you decide to take a personal trip for reasons I'm sure you won't tell me?" Maleficent questioned. "Oh, heck with it. You do whatever you have to. Just be sure to be bad out there, my little Mal. Burn down a house or two if you must. We both know how much you love setting things on fire."

"Oh, you'll be hearing all about it from the sidekicks, I'm sure," said Mal.

"But before you go, Evil Queen is coming for a visit. She's bringing that brat daughter of hers with her," said Maleficent. "Just one teensy favor for your dear mommy. Keep that one called Evie under control."

"It's Evie, mom. All she does is powder her nose, literally," said Mal.

"Last time she visited, she gave one of the goblins a makeover. I can still see it in my nightmares," said Maleficent, shivering from the memory. "She's your friend, you deal with her. Once their visit is over, you may go on your gloomy little way."

Mal sighs and says, "Fine."

As is said in her diary, Mal has never seen Evie since she woke up in this new world. All she knew is that Evie and her mother ruled Charmington (which is now called Grimsmouth). Mal has yet to know how close or how distant she and Evie are in this world. Well, she's about to find out.

"One more thing, Mal," said Maleficent. "You know nothing happens in this kingdom without my knowing. What exactly were you doing in your room?"

"Well, mom, can you blame your daughter for being pressured with the future of ruling, well, everything?" Mal replied casually.

"I may be the evilest of them all, but I am still a mother. You know it's my job to prepare you for queen-hood," said Maleficent. "You're my evil, nasty little girl, Mal. You walk the dark waters I walk on. Nothing can ever keep us apart."

"True that," said Mal.

"Oh, it seems like it was only yesterday I was teaching you how to wave a magic wand," Maleficent reminisced. "You set half the castle on fire and killed a few goblins. I was so proud of you."

Mal pretended to smile, but it was convincing. No sheepishness present in the smile. Just the convincingly false proud feeling she showed in the smile.

"And one of these days, you will get to hold mommy's scepter," said Maleficent, just dreaming of that day.

"Yeah, I can already picture it," Mal said through her teeth. Her mother doesn't know that her daughter had held the scepter before.

Maleficent pokes her daughter on the nose with that wicked grin on her face. It hurt Mal to see her mother feel so proud of her for false reasons. But she has to bear with them for as long as she's here. Like she told herself, she created this hell so she has to live in it, as her penance.

* * *

Later that morning, an evil-looking but neat carriage parked right outside Maleficent's castle. Evil Queen and her daughter Evie walk off the carriage and through the front doors. Evie was "powdering her nose" as she walked, looking at herself in the mini Magic Mirror to make sure she is as fair as her mother. The second Mal saw her, the purple-haired sorceress rolled her eyes and said "of course" since Evie is, well, Evie.

"I guess some things don't change," Mal muttered.

What did change, however, is Evie's choice of clothing. She wore a blue dress with black sleeves and her hair was tied up in a bun. Well, if Evie still fancied herself a princess in this world, this shouldn't be a surprise. Besides, now she really looks like her mother.

Mal teleported back to the throne room to greet Evie and Evil Queen properly. Maleficent and Evil Queen looked at each other with mild but very transparent hatred. Evie just continued looking at herself in her mirror, which made Mal roll her eyes again.

"Queen," Maleficent greeted her formally, if with contempt.

"Maleficent," Evil Queen greeted her with the same contempt in her tone.

"You better not be wasting my time again," said Maleficent.

"The resistance robbed three stores in Grimsmouth," said Evil Queen. "That's, what, the billionth time my kingdom has been robbed in the past 16 years."

"What do you want?" asked Maleficent.

"I want to know if you're really making progress with locating these insufferable bandits," said Evil Queen. "I can't stand constant complainers knocking on my door every single day. What if they decide to rob my castle next?"

"Didn't they do that last year?" Maleficent asked mockingly.

"Why you uncooperative crone!" Evil Queen insulted.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that, you ugly old hag!" Maleficent shouted back, only her voice boomed as lightning stroke when she did.

Mal knew this was her cue to leave. Evie knew it as well.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Both teenage girls walked out of the throne room and left their mothers to argue like they always. Some thing haven't changed in this new world, Mal saw. Now Mal can talk to her "friend," but she was too busy making sure her cheeks were free of any speck of dirt to even look at her.

"Nice to see you too, E," Mal said sarcastically, just in case sincerity would make her suspicious.

"Yeah, sure. Nice to see you too," Evie said dismissively. When she finally looked at Mal, she crossed her arms and, in a disappointed tone, said, "Still wearing that old jacket, M? As the future ruler of Auradon, you should consider updating your choice of clothes. If you're gonna stick to those nasty colors, at least try putting them on a dress fit for a queen. And you could use a makeover. Your eyebrows look pretty crooked and your cheeks look like you came out of a filthy attic."

"I can just snap my fingers and fix my face. Let's see you criticize me after that," Mal snarked.

"Hmm. What a crass riposte," Evie replied.

"I didn't see you at the anniversary weeks ago. I must say, I'm kinda hurt," Mal said, again with sarcasm just in case she and Evie aren't close in this new world.

"As pleasing as the sight of you chopping off some poor mortal's head off was, I had more important things to attend to," said Evie.

"Like what? Your facial?" Mal asked in an insulting manner. Now, this time, that tone was sincere.

"My wedding," said Evie. "Oh, haven't your heard? My sweet prince proposed to me a day before the anniversary."

"What kind of moron would marry a self-serving, self-involved fashionista like you?" Mal questioned. "Oh, wait, let me guess."

Mal turns around, looks up, and throws a fireball at...

Jay.

He managed to jump away from the line of fire and landed on the floor in style. He scoops Evie in his arms and kisses her straight on the lips. Evie kissed him back. Mal fake-vomited, only because she really felt disgusted by the sight of this.

"Of course. Now that Jafar's the Sultan of Agrabah, that makes Jay an official prince. And you've always had your eye on a prince, E," said Mal.

"You know it, M," said Evie. "The wedding is in a month. Don't worry. You're invited. Not my decision, however."

Jay didn't seem to change much. Same old beanie. Same old sleeveless leather jacket. His jacket's snake pattern and color scheme was slightly different though. Now that he was living the royal life, that came with more luxurious clothing.

"Mazel tov," Mal sassed. "How'd you even travel here? Hitched a ride on the carriage?"

"Actually, I did," said Jay. "Hid inside this big trunk Evil Queen owns. Good thing the keyhole is big enough to let air in."

"Well, I didn't want you to suffocate during the ride, my sweetie," Evie said flirtatiously.

Mal gagged in disgust again.

"Hey, where were you after the anniversary, Mal?" Jay asked. "The guys and girls and I were waiting for you at Eden. I thought we were gonna party like crazy, crazier than parties before."

Through the contacts in her phone and her social media profile, Mal discovered that she was the leader of a gang of her own, just like back on the Isle of the Lost. That gang is called "The Dragons," a name clearly chosen by her. The gang consisted of Jay, Freddie, Yzla, Ginny, Hadie, Claudine, and... Mad Maddy. Apparently, her little screw-up with the Wishing Well brought a dead person back to life.

"I wasn't in the mood to party," said Mal.

"I heard your latest execution didn't end with beheading. You burned that man alive," said Evie. "Something's off with you."

"I don't need you to judge me, Mrs. Mirrors," Mal retorted. "At least I still have my dignity intact. Look at you. A narcissistic princess marrying a common lowlife."

"Okay, I'd take that as an insult, but I do see your point," said Jay.

"Did you steal anything for me today, Jay my dear?" asked Evie. It was a thing with their relationship. He'd steal a gift for her every month.

Jay reaches into his pocket and takes out a lovely necklace with a shiny golden dragon on it.

"Hey, that's mine!" Mal shouted.

Mal snatches the necklace back and puts it around her neck. She hid the dragon inside her jacket to keep it from being snatched again.

"You never wear it," said Jay.

"Doesn't mean it doesn't mean something to me," said Mal. "You touch any of my stuff again, I'll make sure the groom shows up to the wedding in a very, very, _very_ bad shape."

Mal conjured a little bit of fire to emphasize her threat. Despite being barely fazed, Jay was definitely scared.

"So, I'm guessing your gonna want this back?" Jay asked, holding up a rusty silver chain.

Mal quickly snatches the chain back. She didn't know what the chain was, but since she owned it and kept it, it must mean something. Maybe not much, but she preferred to keep everything that belonged to her in this new world. Every. Single. Thing.

"I dare you to try that again," Mal said threateningly.

"Can't blame a guy for trying," said Jay.

Mal sighs and faceplams herself. All of this is a little too hard to digest. First, Evie is an even bigger narcissist than before. Jay suffers from the same level of kleptomania when he grew up on the Isle. And on top of that, the two of them were getting married. Ew!

"When my mom asks, tell her I've already left," said Mal.

"What's the matter, Mal? Purple with envy?" Evie teased. "Maybe you can find love too if you weren't so focused on impressing your mother."

Mal's hands curled into fists and shook. Fortunately, the only thing that (magically) broke is a nearby torch on the wall. Mal takes a deep breath before walking away from the "couple." _Oh my mother, I can't believe they're even a couple_ , Mal thought with revulsion.

* * *

And so, Mal left the castle. She took her first breath of "fresh" air in a while. She hasn't stepped out of the castle since the anniversary of the villains' war victory, but now she is ready to face whatever is out there. First stop, Auradon City... or as it's called in this new world, Villainsville. Strutting down the streets like the woman in charge (which she technically is, in spite of her mother), Mal had every single evil soul avoiding eye contact and running scared with just a single look. Feeling in a very "bad" mood right now, Mal takes out her phone, plugs in her earpieces, and turns on the music.

"Rotten To The Core" by, well, her. Apparently, she has an album in this new world.

Mal listens to the wicked beat as she looks around for opportunities to cause a little bit of trouble. Her mother expects her to be bad, so that's what she's gonna do. Maybe a part of her just wanted to do this, but she's gonna do it anyway.

 _They say I'm trouble  
They say I'm bad  
They say I'm evil  
And that makes me glad_

Mal starts off by snapping her fingers and causing some random trouble, such as dumping fruit on people and making skateboarders float and crash.

 _A dirty no-good  
Down to the bone_  
 _Your worst nightmare_  
 _Can't take me home_

Mal climbs up the fire escape of a nearby building and sees three kids hanging out. She snaps her fingers and causes the fire escape to collapse. While she lands safely, the other three, not so lucky.

 _So I've got some mischief  
In my blood  
Can you blame me?  
I never got no love_

Mal sees two evil lovers sharing ice cream. Snapping her fingers again, she makes the ice cream literally blow up in their faces.

 _They think I'm callous  
A low-life hood_  
 _I feel so usless_  
 _Misunderstood_

Mal steals an apple from a bystander, takes a bite out of it, and then throws it at the face of the person she stole it from.

 _Mirror, mirror, on the wall  
Who's the baddest of them all?_  
 _Welcome to my wicked world, wicked world_

 _I'm rotten to the core, core_  
 _Rotten to the core_  
 _I'm rotten to the core, core_  
 _Who can ask for more?_  
 _I'm nothin' like the kid next, like the kid next door_  
 _I'm rotten to the, I'm rotten to the_  
 _I'm rotten to the core_

Mal shows up at a playground and causes a little bit of mayhem. She magically curses the roundabout to spin fast and faster, ejecting the pre-teens riding on it at high speed. Mal sees a boy bullying a younger girl about not being able to survive the monkey bars. Mal causes one of the bars to turn to ash, which led to the bully falling on his back. Mal carries the little girl up on the monkey bars and helps her succeed. As she walked away, she caused the slide to lean up, causing a kid to fall backwards.

 _Call me a schemer  
Call me a freak_  
 _How can you say that?_  
 _I'm just unique_

And you know the rest. Mal decided to kick things up a notch. As she danced along to the wicked beat, she entered a rundown apartment building. Not many people lived in there, but the building looked like the perfect place for her to "lighten" things up. She scares everyone by seemingly bringing down the place. Ripping the floor and ceilings with her magic. Causing cracks the made the building more unstable. Lighting some fires to cause more panic. Mal was really living the moment. Soon, everyone ran out of the building as the fires roared.

Mal came out last as she continued to dance to the music. She really started to move at the final chorus.

" _I'm rotten to the, I'm rotten to the..._ " She sang. " _I'm rotten to the CORE!_ "

Mal snaps both her fingers and the entire apartment building burst into flames. She turns around and watches as the place burns down brick by brick, plank by plank. Despite the good half of her, Mal always loved a good fire. She smirked that sickly smirk as the building burned and crumbled, all because of her.

* * *

After spending the entire day just walking around Villainsville, Mal decided to step outside the village and into the nearby woods to find a place to sleep. She's okay lying down on the grass. She's done it before, after all. Just as she found the perfect spot, she heard something. Someone was definitely following her, watching her. Mal slowly reaches for her scabbard, where she sword is sheathed in. Timing it perfect, she quickly draws her sword and holds the blade dangerously close to her stalker's neck. And her stalker is...

Harry Hook.

"Whoa, luv," Harry said, startled. "No need to be pointing dangerous weapons at me."

"Depends. Why are you following me?" asked Mal.

"I was coming to meet you at your home tonight. One of our secret moonlight rendezvous," Harry answered as he used his hook to move Mal's sword away from him.

As Mal can clearly see, Harry's hand didn't remain cut off when the new world was created. He was still holding a hook in his hand, probably still hoping it gets cut off so he can replace it with the hook itself. Too bad, Mal said. She really wanted to know how he felt about having an actual hook for a hand. _I'll correct that one day_ , she thought.

"Okay, let me ask you again. _Why_ are you following me?" Mal asked.

"Isn't it obvious, luv?" Harry replied with a grin. "Or do we have any company nearby and you're just pretendin' not to know?"

Mal decided not to say anything. Whatever Harry was thinking, he seems so sure she knows what it is. Well, she doesn't, but the Mal of this world knows. Mal sheaths her sword so he would talk.

Instead, Harry kissed her... on the lips. On the lips.

After the kiss, Mal stared at Harry with a stunned look on her face. What was that, she wondered. Harry only assumed that the subtle shock on her face is because he caught her off guard.

"Is our little secret still between us?" asked Harry.

Assuming she and Harry have something _special_ between them, Mal remembered that Evie mocked her for not finding love. Maybe what she and Harry have is a secret from everyone.

"Still between us," Mal promised.

Harry grins again and says, "Wonderful, just like you."

Then he touched her hair with his hook in a very flirtatious manner. This was nothing new. He used to do this with her back on the Isle. He may have been in love with Uma, but he was also attracted to the daughter of Maleficent. It appears that, this time, the touching thing was more than just flirtation.

"Something wrong, luv?" Harry asked, having noticed the odd look on Mal's face.

"I just wanted some alone time, my love," Mal said, playing along.

"Well, isn't that the first time you've called me that?" Harry replied.

"Harry, please, I'd love to spend time with you, but I just need some personal time for myself," said Mal. "That's why you didn't find me at the castle."

"Oh, well, in that case, I'll see you when the sun rises," said Harry.

Harry kisses Mal's hand before walking away.

"You're planning on stalking me again, aren't you?" Mal guessed.

"Then you just spoiled the surprise," Harry replied. "But I will see you then, luv."

Harry blows a kiss as he departs. Mal had to blow a kiss just to convince him that she's "in love" with him. When Harry was finally out of sight, Mal can finally drop the act and focus on getting herself ready for a good night sleep. When she turned around, however, she saw another someone she didn't want to see.

Sitting on a wheelchair, wearing a pair of nerdy-looking glasses, there was Eleanor.

"Don't you two make a cute couple?" Eleanor teased.

 **And that ends the first chapter. This may not have all the answers, but it's a start. I just hope this had some enjoyable and/or interesting moments. Best to start a story with just enough rather than take it slow, you know (I love rhymes).**

 **Notes:**

 **\- Believe me, I am no fan of Jevie (Jay/Evie). In fact, I turn away every time I see a story with that pairing tagged. But this is a new world and everything is different. I'm no fan of Hal (Harry/Mal) either, but we're all gonna have to endure these changes. Remember, a whole new world.**

 **\- Mal's still a bad girl, people. Whether you like her transformation or not, she's gonna be a very bad girl. But don't worry. Half-good, half-bad, and all that (Ha, again with the rhymes lol).**


	2. A Life Without Stars

**In case some of you are still curious about the Eleanor cliffhanger in the first chapter, well, here's the new chapter to satisfy that curiosity. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the first chapter: DragonEmperor999, Bloopbloop, MaliceMalAmyMalevFaery, CC, Mustang52, danifan3000, TheGreatGodzilla, xez2003**

 ** _To Bloopbloop_: Believe me, I'm no shipper of Jevie and Hal (I believe I wrote that at the bottom of the first chapter). And yeah, the Mal/Harry stuff should just be left in real life. But this is a whole new world, and I gotta have the guts to make huge changes.**

 ** _To CC_: Yup, I guess that would be pretty funny.**

 ** _To TheGreatGodzilla_: Well, I appreciate your offer to help me, but I don't want to get too complicated (like your Shan Yu suggestion, I was getting kinda confused). While I will try to shed more light on what has changed, I want to make sure the focus remains on Mal and what she intends to do going forward. Otherwise, the story will suffer from lack of focus, too much exposition, and constant interfering with the momentum of the main plot. One minute, this is about Mal and how she adjusts to the new reality, then the next it's about Chinese politics. Not exactly where I want to go.**

All Mal wanted was to sleep peacefully tonight, but she wasn't going to get it, not easily that is. First, Harry stalked her because, in this new world, they're lovers. And now, the (other) blonde nuisance in her life decided to show up out of nowhere. On her wheelchair, not to mention. Despite Eleanor saving Ben from a giant Uma, Mal still had some bitter feelings towards the daughter of the Enchantress.

"You don't know who I am, do you?" asked Eleanor.

"Depends. Have I taken away someone precious to you?" Mal asked, acting as the viler and crueler Mal of the new world.

"My mother abandoned me when I was 13. I never knew my father. So, I don't think so," said Eleanor.

"Well, maybe I'll give your mother a reason to visit you," Mal said. Suddenly, her hand catches on fire. "Visit yourgrave, that is."

Eleanor starts rolling her wheelchair backwards as Mal slowly walks towards her with her flaming hand threatening to harm her. Eleanor speeds up the backwards rolling, so Mal decided to make this easier for herself. With a wave of her finger, she made the wheelchair fall on its side, throwing Eleanor off of it. Eleanor crawls as fast as she can, desperate to get away from the daughter of Maleficent. That evil smirk shows up on Mal's face as she gets closer and closer to the "paraplegic" girl. Mal freezes her in place with her magic, making it way easier for her to hurt her. Just when it looked like Mal was about to melt her face off...

She just started laughing.

Mal puts the flaming hand away and just laughs, finding amusement in Eleanor's fear. Eleanor fake-laughs upon realizing what just happened.

"Okay, you got me," Eleanor said sarcastically.

"Yeah, I did," Mal replied triumphantly. "But more importantly, you know who I am. I mean, _really_ know who I am."

"And this confirms what I've suspected. You do remember who you are," said Eleanor.

Mal sighs, mildly miffed, and says, "Well, if I had to be stuck with anyone who actually remembers the real world, you're not exactly the worst kind of company."

"Uh... thanks," Eleanor replied, slightly offended.

"Well, get back on your feet and let's talk," said Mal.

"Actually, I can't," said Eleanor.

"Oh, for the love of mother, not this charade again," Mal complained.

"No, I'm serious. I can't feel my legs," Eleanor said gravely.

To test this theory, Mal lights a little fire with her index finger and holds it very close to Eleanor's leg. The skin burns a bit, but Eleanor didn't flinch. Mal quickly turns off her fire upon realizing that Eleanor was telling the truth. So, Mal helps Eleanor back on her wheelchair.

"Talk," Mal demanded.

"When you added your magic to the Wishing Well's wish mix, I had to act," said Eleanor. "You wouldn't listen to me, so I had to try something, even if it might not work. Before the well was finished granting the wish, I used all of my magic to protect my mind. I thought that maybe I can keep my memories intact after the wish is granted. I know, it was a huge gamble that had 0% chance of working. But, to my surprise, it worked. I still remember everything from the old reality."

"But...?" Mal knew there was more to this explanation.

"It came at a cost," Eleanor said sadly. "Now, all of my magic is locked up in my brain, separate from the rest of my body. And because of the car crash I staged that damaged my mortal form permanently, I truly am paralyzed now."

Mal couldn't help but chuckle. Of all the things Eleanor could've done to meet Ben, she chose a car crash that gave her a permanent spinal injury that will only affect her if she's in her non-magical form. And now, she paid for that reckless action.

"So, what, are you like super smart now or something?" asked Mal.

"I wish, but no," said Eleanor. "The magic in my head allows me to use my Omni-Sight with little difficulty. It's the ability to see everything and everyone at any time. I'm still young, so, before now, I could only use my Omni-Sight for a limited time because it drains me physically and magically. But now, I can use it without getting a migraine. The only limit is my memory. I can only keep an eye on places I have seen with my own two eyes."

"So, since you never seen the Isle of the Lost outside of your Omni-Sight..." Mal hypothesized.

"I can't see into Isle of the Lost anymore," said Eleanor. "Although, that island doesn't have a name now. It was just a temporary HQ for the villains during their war with the heroes."

"And you can't use your magic," Mal guessed.

Eleanor waves her finger around and nothing happened. Not even a single tiny golden sparkle was created. Eleanor was truly a mortal now. All of her magic, locked up in her brain, unable to use it except to surveil the entire kingdom.

"So, now that I've told you everything, we can work on a way to fix all this," said Eleanor.

"Fix this? How is there any way to fix this?" Mal questioned. "Do you see an actual magical wishing well anywhere?"

"I... well... no," Eleanor answered ashamedly. "It's not down at the cave where it was back in the old reality. Maybe the likeliest conclusion is that it doesn't exist here, but I'm not giving up."

"Well, you should," said Mal. "This is our world now, Eleo. It's time you stop trying to fix things and start living your life. I mean, you've been here for as long as I have. What have you been doing for the past month besides spying on me?"

"Hiding," Eleanor answered. "It's really impossible to do anything while I'm stuck on this wheelchair. I'm lucky to have survived the month."

"You found a home yet, or are you just chilling at the now evil-ized Enchanted Wood?" Mal asked.

"Why should I tell you?" Eleanor replied. "You don't sound like you want the real reality back. Why wouldn't you want it back? I know Harry is definitely not the reason. So, what is it? Is this about your mother?"

"My dilemmas are mine to handle, and mine alone," said Mal. "You wouldn't understand."

"What, that you think you deserve to punish yourself by living in this dystopian nightmare?" Eleanor retorted. "You still fail to comprehend the lesson I have tried to teach you at your confession. Self-forgiveness will help you overcome self-condemnation."

"If I recall correctly, you're not a licensed priestess, so why should I listen to you?" Mal asked. "You saved Ben from Uma and I'm grateful for that, but we're still not best buds, Eleo."

"Okay, can you stop calling me Eleo? I don't like it," said Eleanor.

"Then I'm gonna keep calling you Eleo," said Mal. "Now, here's a warning, Eleo, I have a penance to pay and I'm gonna pay it no matter how painful it is for me."

"How are you any different from your previous transformation?" Eleanor questioned. "You went from living-in-the-grey-area-of-life to full-blown villain, who thought that she deserved punishment for her crimes. Touching your mother's scepter was supposed to change you, but how are you not the same?"

"The difference is that I'm not giving up on accepting my punishment," said Mal. "When Ben banished me, I just gave up. Sure, I helped the people of the Isle to prepare them for a new life in Auradon. But in actuality, I pretty much quit on life. But now, while I may be accepting my punishment, I'm facing my punishment head-on instead of just sitting in a corner crying. My will is stronger than it ever was, and I have to use it."

"Of all the mistakes you have made, this will be your worst," said Eleanor.

"I'm sorry, I seem to recall about coming here to get some shut eye, not to be stalked by a lovesick pirate and a paralyzed addlepate on wheels," Mal sassed. "Unless you want me to make you feel more helpless than you already are, I suggest you just leave me be to get a peaceful 8-hour rest."

Knowing she is powerless to persuade Mal, Eleanor turns around and rolls away. She stopped for a moment to say one last thing.

"Mal, my mother delegated an important task to me. To prevent the darkness that would consume the world," Eleanor reminded her. "And now, it's here. I intend to complete my mother's mission, no matter how weak and powerless I am. We will see each other again. You can threaten me all you want, but I won't stop until Auradon is a safe utopia once again."

Mal didn't say a word. She just waited until Eleanor was a mile away before finally lying down on the grass. She stared at the dark clouds in the night sky. Believe it or not, Mal was beginning to miss the stars. But as she said before, she has to get used to all of this. Still, contemplation and self-reflection was a lot better with the stars in the sky. Seeing them twinkle in a very dark space made her think about the sparks of goodness that shine within her black heart.

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star. How I wonder _where_ you are," Mal sang somberly.

* * *

A few hours later, Mal was still asleep while hugging the purple dragon plushy she apparently hid under her bed back at the castle. She may look ridiculous, but she didn't care. In fact, she's been hugging this toy in her sleep for the past month. She needed the comfort in this very dark and very bleak new reality. Having not learned what she called the toy when she was little (in this reality), she just called the little dragon _Violet_.

Just as her mind was finally beginning to drift into the peaceful blackness that helps her sleep, she heard something.

Mal teleports her toy back to the castle as she wakes up to look for who could be stalking her. Mal found a fallen tree branch not too far from where she was sleeping. It was pretty thin, which can only mean that either the wind was too strong or someone stood on it and caused it to snap.

"Where are you?" Mal asked quietly.

Mal finds an arrow on the side of another tree. Judging by the rope attached to the arrow's tail and the arrow's angle towards the tree that lost one of its branches, someone probably used the arrow to swing off the tree branch before it snapped from his or her weight.

"So, is Robin Hood coming out to play?" Mal joked.

Sensing something behind her, Mal turns around and grabs what appears to be an arrow before it hit her. After burning the arrow to ashes, she looks towards the direction where it was fired. There was a hooded figure hiding in the bushes. It dashed off as soon as it new that he was spotted.

"Okay, Mr. Robin Hood. Let's play," Mal said with a smirk.

Mal teleports herself to a spot close to where she saw the hooded figure run off to. She didn't see or hear anything. Whoever this hooded figure is, he or she is fast.

"Come out, come out where you are," Mal taunted.

The hooded figure, hiding behind a tree, fires another arrow. Once again, Mal saw it coming and caught it in her hand before it pierced her. Unfortunately, the arrow started to beep. It detonated, unleashing a bright explosion that temporarily blinded her. Just when her sight cleared up, another arrow was shot at her. It released steel cables that tied her up to a nearby tree. The hooded figure came out of the shadows preparing to fire another arrow. It was definitely not Robin Hood, as the archer was dressed in a red and black protective suit.

"Trick arrows? Nice," Mal complimented.

Unfortunately for the hooded archer, Mal did to the cables what she did to the first arrow fired at her. Burned them into ash. The archer fired another arrow, but Mal dodges it by simply leaning to the right. The arrow hit a tree and shocked said tree with electricity.

"An electric arrow? Creative," Mal commented.

Mal holds out her hand and calls the electricity to her like an electromagnet. She throws the lightning at the archer, who jumps out of the way to avoid getting shocked. The archer fires arrow after arrow as Mal charges towards him. She either dodged or incinerated his arrows as she closed in on him. The archer grabs an arrow from his quiver, activates it, and throws it at Mal. Unfortunately, Mal uses her magic to stop it in mid-air. The archer backed away in fear as a response.

After one little smirk, Mal sends the arrow flying back at the one who fired it. The arrow detonates and unleashes the same flashy explosion that blinded her earlier. The archer falls down on his back as he tries to readjust his sight by blinking. By the time he could see clearly again, he was grabbed by the throat and pushed towards a tree by the daughter of Maleficent. She stared at him with those scary green eyes that glowed with the color of evil. There was no use trying to fight the fear injected into him by the stare.

"A mask? Really? Well, I guess a hood isn't exactly the best disguise," said Mal.

Mal takes off the mask and the hood to see who the archer really is. A brief expression of shock showed on her face before that signature smirk of hers returned. This was because the archer is someone she is very familiar with.

Carlos De Vil.

"Well, this just got more interesting," said Mal.

 **Indeed it has. I mean, why is Carlos playing Robin Hood? You'll find out in the next chapter.**

 **If you love superheroes, you'll probably think I made Carlos into Hawkeye or Green Arrow, having special arrows and all. Well, that was intentional. I mean, new reality or not, it's the 21st century in the Descendants universe. Time to move on from ordinary arrows. Besides, Carlos likes to invent, right? If he's gonna be an archer, I think it's fitting he creates special arrows.**


	3. Outgrowing Your Evil Roots

**So, I'm sure the question you're asking is, "Why is Carlos against Mal if he's a villain kid?" Well, instead of a quick answer, I want have some fun with these two first. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmerpor999, MaliceMalAmyMalevFaery, xez2003, Anonymousnette, Bloopbloop, The 007, TheGreatGodzilla, Mustang52**

 ** _To DragonEmperor999_: Yeah, it's hard not to feel bad for Eleanor. Without magic, she's truly damaged.**

 ** _To The 007_: Don't worry. I'll keep reading your review again and again while I think about what'll become of Uma when Mal meets her again. Your idea seems interesting actually. A change in the dynamic between the two rivals... it could be a nice arc for Mal.**

 ** _To TheGreatGodzilla_: I'm not really a politician or a historian, so going deep into Chinese politics is something I'm definitely NOT gonna be doing here. I like going complex with my stories, but not TOO complex. You're just gonna have to be patient for the answers about the resistance. It'll take time. As for Maleficent's conquest, right now she's just focused on ending the resistance once and for all.**

Morning has come. Only, the sun is barely able to shine on Auradon due to the dark clouds above. It's like the world was cursed to live in darkness because of the villains' triumph over the heroes. Either that or Maleficent intentionally cursed the skies to forever cover the kingdom in darkness to remind everyone who rules the place. Mal doesn't know, but she believes it's both.

Speaking of Mal, she just woke up from her sleep and she was ready to have a talk with her "prisoner." She used one of his steel cable arrows to tie him up to a tree so he wouldn't go anywhere. She made sure he was disarmed first. His bow and quiver were close to Mal where she can keep an eye on them.

"I'll die before I talk," Carlos said determinedly.

"Well, looks like someone here has guts," Mal replied, admiring how he said those words. "You know, I heard that the resistance has this Robin Hood wannabe. I never guessed it would be you. Although, the red, black, and white on your suit should've been a dead giveaway."

"Whatever you want with me, just get it over with," said Carlos.

"A rush to die, aren't we?" Mal questioned. "Or are you just so scared? Scared of me?"

Carlos tried to look brave, but he just looked away. It was an obvious "yes" to Mal. Well, if Carlos was part of the resistance and not one of the VKs living a life of luxury, it makes sense. Still, she's curious.

"Haven't we met before?" Mal asked, trying to make sure she doesn't sound off or anything.

"Yeah, when we were kids. Not surprised you don't remember me," Carlos said.

"But I know you. Carlos De Vil, the son of Cruella De Vil," said Mal. "You ran away from your mother. I'm guessing it was because you had enough of her treating you like a slave."

"How do you know about that?" Carlos asked.

"Lucky guess," Mal answered casually.

"Why are you so interested in my life? Aren't you more interested in torturing me or killing me?" asked Carlos.

"Call me curious," said Mal. "But since I'm not Lucifer's daughter, curiosity won't kill me. Tell me. Why are you dressed up like Robin Hood Jr.?"

"You could be asking me for the resistance's location, yet you're asking about _that_?" Carlos questioned, confused. "I'm not saying anything to you."

"Fine," said Mal.

Mal grabs the steel cable and pulls it off Carlos, freeing him. Carlos looked at her, confused. What is she doing, he wondered.

"You're taking me to Sherwood with you," said Mal.

"Why?" asked Carlos.

"In case you're wondering why I'm out here all alone, it's because I'm on a cross-country trip by myself. Sherwood seems like a nice place to visit next," said Mal. "And maybe then you'll want to talk to me."

"You think I'm just gonna give up information like that? You don't know me at all," said Carlos.

"You're right. I don't know you, but that's why I want to go on this walk with you," Mal said, giving Carlos back his bow and arrows.

"What is wrong with you?" Carlos asked, backing away in fear. "Are you sure you're the daughter of Maleficent? Why are you being so nice? Trick or no trick, why?"

Mal casually shrugs and says, "I guess you're just gonna have to trust me."

"Why would I ever trust you?" asked Carlos. "You're the worst."

Mal fake-gasps with delight and says, "Why, thank you."

"I'm not playing any kind of twisted game with you," Carlos said as he backed away further.

"Okay, let's recap. You sneaked up on me while I was asleep. You tried to kidnap me and take me back to the resistance. You brought this on yourself," Mal reminded him. "Now, you're my prisoner. But I'm not gonna treat you like a typical prisoner. Just take your weapons back and take me to Sherwood."

"You know where it is," said Carlos.

"I do, but I want you to take me there," said Mal.

Mal straps the quiver on Carlos' back since he refuses to come closer. She grabs his arm and puts the bow in his hand. She pats him in the back of the head before she starts walking. Carlos has no choice but to do as she says. It's not like he can run away. She has magic. All he has is a bunch of arrows. Special arrows but arrows nonetheless.

* * *

The trip to Sherwood takes the purple-haired sorceress and the white-haired archer to Grimsmouth (formerly known as Charmington in the previous reality). Mal and Carlos sneak into someone's house, Mal puts the owner to sleep, and then steals some of his clothes. Mal now wears a brown cloak to hide her face. Carlos gets the grey cloak that he found.

"Why are you hiding?" asked Carlos. "You scare everyone so they'll back off."

"If they see me with you, we're both toast," said Mal. "We're just here to get some supplies."

"Why can't you just snap your fingers and take us to Sherwood immediately?" asked Carlos.

"Because I want to take this journey with you," Mal answered. She sounded so sweet, it's so weird.

Once again, Carlos is confused. He hasn't seen Mal in a long time and all he's heard about her is that she's mean, she's vicious, she's ruthless, and on top of that, maleficent (it's an actual word, which literally means "evil"). She burns down buildings because she has a wicked case of pyromania, she tortures people for the fun of it, and she loves to play evil tricks with her victims. Yet, who he's saying in front of him is someone who seems desperate for closeness. But why with him? She doesn't know him.

"Stay close to me and keep your face hidden," said Mal. ""You know, your quiver makes it look like you have a hunchback."

"Oh, sure. Maybe I should be the Hunchback of Grimsmouth," Carlos said sarcastically.

Mal stole a knapsack and magically filled it with apples from nearby fruit stands. She even stole someone's wallet. She doesn't need the money, but she just did it for the fun of it. She may be trying to correct herself, but who says a girl can't have little bit of fun? She found a homeless mother and her baby girl begging for money. So, Mal takes out all the money in the wallet and gave it to the mother.

"Thank you," said the mother.

"No problem," Mal said, all the while making sure her face is hidden.

Grimsmouth looks like exactly how she pictured it. Everything looks rundown and something out of a horror video game, with the exception of zombies and ghosts. Most of the village is just having fun being evil while others live normally despite being bad people. Still, the electricity works and the wi-fi was strong, so it wasn't all bad. Mal takes out her phone and finds comments about the upcoming wedding between Princess Evie and Prince Jay. Once again, Mal fake-gags because the thought of the two of them being in love is disgusting. Even if she didn't know them as family, she'd still think the same way.

"You can do so much better, E," Mal muttered.

After getting everything she needs, Mal checks on Carlos. However, he has left her side. After a few minutes of searching, she found him staring at Grimsmouth's castle from the distance. He looked

"Are you okay, Carlos?" asked Mal.

Carlos fake-coughs and says, "I'm-I'm-I'm fine."

That was a lie for sure, but she wasn't ready to force him to talk just yet. Carlos started to leave, but Mal wasn't ready to give up about this just yet. Using a pair of binoculars she stole, she saw Evie. Guess she and Evil Queen didn't spend the night at my place, Mal thought.

Evie was just there picking flowers from the garden, probably planning to use them to make perfume. Or something. Is Evie a scientific genius in this new reality?

But the fact that Evie is the only sight worth seeing in the garden made Mal suspicious of Carlos' moment of silence and staring. Is there still history between him and Evie in this new world? She'll find out soon. But right now, she has to make him feel more comfortable around her, no matter how hard it is.

"I have everything I need to last the day," said Carlos. "You?"

"I'm good," said Mal. Deciding to try something, she grabs an apple and says, "Hey. Catch."

Mal throws the apple at Carlos. He seemed hesitant to take a bite.

"It's not poisoned," Mal promised. "Besides, it's not my thing. I'm Maleficent's daughter, not Evil Queen's."

Carlos slowly takes a bite out of the apple. He's still alive.

"So, where to, Robin Hood?" Mal asked playfully.

"We head northwest of here," said Carlos. "Through the woods and then we'll come across a river. I'm sure you can get us across it."

"Oh, no way, Snowball. I'm not gonna be using any magic on this trip unless we're attacked by wolves or pirates," said Mal. "You're getting me a cross that river on your own."

"What... do... you... want?" Carlos asked, exasperated. "If you're trying to soften me up just so I'd give you the location to the resistance's hideout..."

"Then I must be kidding myself, is that it?" Mal interrupted, finishing his sentence for him. "Look, Mr. Bow and Arrow, I don't want anything to do with the resistance, not yet at least. So, let's just walk and talk... if you feel like talking, that is. I won't rush you."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Mal and Carlos trudge carefully through the woods outside of Grimsmouth. They had to avoid bats, spiders, and be sure to move away from where they hear growling noises. It took almost an hour, but they finally made it to the river. Before they could start crossing, Mal saw Carlos put down his supplies and sit down next to the river.

"Mind if we take a break?" asked Carlos. "I mean, I'm not tired, but I just... I just want to rest."

"Well, I got all day, so sure," said Mal.

Mal sits down and rests as well, eating some apples as she did. The two just watched the river flow. Despite the seemingly majestic blue color of the river, Mal can sense the evil that tainted the waters. But at least it was visually beautiful to watch. She only wishes that Carlos would talk to her, but he still can't trust her. She can't blame him. All she's done so far is spare his life (which he still believes is some kind of trick) and give him an apple. She had to give him time.

Surprisingly, he didn't give himself time.

"Why are you doing this?" asked Carlos.

"You wouldn't believe me. You'd just think everything I say is a method of manipulation just to force you to tell me where the resistance hides," said Mal.

"Then try me," Carlos dared. "Why try to befriend someone from the resistance?"

"What do you think is the answer?" Mal replied.

"Then here's another question," said Carlos. "Are you second-guessing this life of evil?"

"What makes you think that?" asked Mal.

"Look at me. I'm the son of Cruella De Vil, yet I'm not living in her mansion living off the suffering of others," said Carlos. "I'm living proof that just because your roots are evil, it doesn't define all of you. I'm just wondering if the same goes for you. I mean, you disappeared from the public eye for almost a month. There could me a million things on your mind at the time, but I'm hoping it's not all just dark thoughts."

"Isolation has given me too much time to think," said Mal. "I can't say anything you would believe, but I will tell you that I've been wondering if all of this evil is everything I want."

"And what does this have to do with me?" asked Carlos.

"That's my business," Mal responded.

After sitting in silence for a few more minutes, Carlos was ready to cross the river. He takes out an arrow and shoots it across the river. The arrow then released a zip line that stretched across the river with one end anchored to a tree across the river and the other end anchored to a tree near the two VKs. Carlos activates the special feature in his bow that would allow him to hook on to the zip line and swing across. He connects the bow to the line and prepares to zip across the river.

"Hey, you're not gonna leave me here, are you?" asked Mal.

"If you insist on not using magic, I might just," Carlos joked.

"Well, I'm crossing with you," said Mal.

Mal held on to Carlos tightly so she won't fall off when they zip across the river together. To say this was awkward for Carlos was an understatement. Ignoring the awkwardness, he zips across the river with ease. When they landed, Mal's arms remained wrapped around him. This just got more awkward, he thought.

"You can let go, you know," said Carlos.

Mal slowly lets go. She was having fun just making him feel embarrassed. It was well said by that smirk on her face.

* * *

Mal and Carlos arrived at Sherwood Forest. Mal then started walking off. Carlos followed. That was what Mal was counting on. Honestly, Mal doesn't know where she was going, but she knew what she was looking for. It didn't take long until she found the area of the forest where Robin Hood and the Merry Men once called home. Rusty arrows, spoiled food, and uncollected supplies lied all over the place. Ravens occupied the area like a dark forest. Due to the absence of goodness and Merry Men, Sherwood might as well qualify as a dark forest.

Mal stopped right in front of a gravestone in the very center of the area. Carlos saw this and suddenly felt uncomfortable. Regardless, he stood next to Mal and stared at the rock. It says:

Robin Hood  
Hero, Friend, Brother, and Father  
"A great hero is he who is willing to do anything for his fellowmen."

"Why did you bring me here?" asked Carlos.

"I had a feeling," Mal said. "But I knew the only way I could get you to talk to me was to confirm my suspicion. You knew him, didn't you?"

"I didn't just know him. He trained me," said Carlos.

"Carlos, please," Mal pleaded.

Mal holds Carlos' hand, much to the archer's shock. He wanted to pull his hand away, but the look on her face prevented him from doing so. She really wanted him to talk to her. He didn't know if she was faking it or not, but he felt compelled to go along with it.

"What happened to you?" Mal asked curiously.

Keeping his hand wrapped around Mal's, Carlos answered in a somber tone. "You're right. My mom treated more like a slave instead of a son. She would have me wash her car, fluff her fur coats, scrape the bunions off her feet, et cetera. She wouldn't even let me get out and make friends. She just wanted me to stay in the house and do all the work. I couldn't take it anymore. So, I ran. That was three years ago. Then I ran into Robin Hood while he was on a mission for the resistance. He saw how scared I was being on my own, so he took me in. He trained me how to use a bow, how to fight, how to get along with nature, so much. He, Maid Marian, and their daughter Scarlet treated me like family. I loved them very much. But then I made a big mistake. I went out on my own; they followed me. We were attacked by the Huns and the Knuckleheads. Robin Hood didn't make it. Maid Marian went missing. It was just Scarlet, me, and whatever's left of the Merry Men. Will Scarlett said Robin always wanted to be buried where he felt like home, and so here he is..."

Suddenly, Carlos pulled his hand back and walked away from Mal, grunting and sighing with confusion and wariness.

"Why am I even telling you all this?" Carlos wondered, shocked and dumbfounded as to why he shared his sob story. "You're probably just laughing at my pain."

Mal stands next to Carlos so he can see how she feels about his sob story. She wasn't laughing at all. No smirk to indicate amusement. No evil chuckle. Just pity. Carlos can't tell if it was sincere pity, but he didn't want to know. Truthfully, Mal can't help but feel responsible. She created this world, even if not intentionally. She's the one who gave Carlos a father in Robin Hood, who was unfortunately taken away from him.

"I'm very sorry, Carlos," Mal said with sympathy and guilt. She never wanted him to suffer in any reality. "But if you knew the truth about me, you'd think I'm crazy."

"You mean crazy-er?" Carlos questioned.

Now Mal laughed a little. "Okay, I deserve that."

"You deserve worse," said Carlos.

"I don't deny my place in all this madness," said Mal. "But what I'm after is anything but evil. You're just the start."

"Start of what?" Carlos questioned.

"A question for another time," said Mal. "But now, you're free to go. You're no longer my prisoner. And if you think this is a ploy for me to learn the location of the resistance..."

Mal grabs one of Carlos' steel cable arrows, puts it in his hand, and points it at herself.

"Then go ahead, complete your mission," Mal finished.

"Even if you are letting me go, how do I know you won't just follow me back to the resistance?" asked Carlos.

"Then you're gonna have to trust me, whether it's right or not," said Mal.

Carlos's thumb shook as he was close to pressing the activation switch on his arrow. But the look on Mal's face and the feeling he has sharing his story with her made it hard for him to do what he planned to do last night. In the end, he just put his arrow back in his quiver.

"One more night, then I'm gone," said Carlos.

"Then that gives us more time to talk," said Mal.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

As promised, Carlos spends one more night with Mal before he returns to the resistance. It was awfully cold in Sherwood at night, so the two VKs set up a campfire. Carlos grabbed the wood, but Mal was the one who provided the fire. As the two waited for themselves to drift to sleep, they just past the time with their personal hobbies. Mal writes down in her diary while Carlos plays the harmonica.

"You practicing for when you get locked up in jail?" Mal joked.

"The resistance doesn't spend all their time fighting. Gotta find a hobby, you know," said Carlos.

"Well, you're a natural," said Mal.

"What about you? Care to explain why the baddest villain kid hugs a stuffed toy?" Carlos teased.

"Tell anyone about that and your resistance buddies are dead meat," Mal threatened.

"No, I get it," said Carlos. "If you truly are having second thoughts about your path, I guess you need something to show yourself that you're more than just evil. What better than a stuffed toy from your childhood?"

"Honestly, I can't even remember why I had that thing in the first place," Mal said truthfully. She really doesn't know why new-world Mal has a toy.

Carlos continued playing his harmonica. Mal stopped writing when she heard something familiar. The song that Carlos was playing, it sounded startlingly familiar. Mal hums along to the music until the lyrics finally came out of her lips.

" _Without you, I feel broke, like I'm half of a whole. Without you, I've got no hand to hold,_ " Mal sang quietly, not wanting Carlos hear it.

It was odd. Mal sang that song to him before, but he doesn't know that. And in this new world, it's impossible for the true artist of the song to have written it and released it. So this begs the question: How does Carlos know this _sad song_?

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

As Mal ponders over how Carlos could have known about a certain sad song, she is unaware that she is being watched. Sure, ravens hover around the skies all the time in this new reality, but one certain raven wasn't just passing by. Hiding in the shadows, moving from one place to another, and mingling with other ravens to avoid suspicion, the raven named Diablo spied on the daughter of Maleficent.

The words of Maleficent still rang his head.

 _"Keep an eye on her! Make sure she's not up to any funny business I won't think is funny! Report back to me!"_

So far, Diablo has seen Mal burn down a building, spare Carlos' life in favor of a cross-kingdom walk with him, give a poor mother some money to provide for her baby, and hold Carlos' hand in a non-violent way.

Maleficent is not going to like this, Diablo knew.

He decided to fly back to Maleficent's castle to inform his mistress of what is becoming of her daughter.

 **Uh-oh. Not good. Not good at all. What is Maleficent going to say if she finds out about what Mal has done so far? Well, that's a question for another chapter. I'm still gonna explore more of the new world before we get back to Maleficent. For the next chapter, we'll be seeing another "old friend" of Mal's.**

 **But for now, what did you think of this chapter? What did you think about Carlos' story in this new world?**


	4. A New BFF

**We've seen how Evie and Jay have changed. We've seen how Carlos has changed. Time to see who else has changed and how. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, Bloopbloop, CC, MaliceMalAmyMalevFaery, xez2003, Elijah, The007**

 ** _To Bloopbloop_: Yeah, the "Sad Song" does bring back memories. Good memories. I miss those times, honestly.**

 ** _To CC_: Don't worry. Mal and Carlos' journey isn't ending yet.**

 ** _To Elijah_: Actually, Mal's identity crisis is over, way back in "Long Live Evil". She knows who she is, but it's about how her friends and family feel about her that makes her really think about her identity.**

Mal wakes up from his sleep to smell something delicious. Carlos was making something. Soup in a can, it's what it looks like. I guess some things don't change, Mal thought. Carlos could cook back in the old world, and it looks like that remains true in this new world. He carefully holds the hot can using a leaf and pours half of its content into a cup, which he gives to Mal.

"Glad you're awake. I made you something," Carlos said. "It's probably a step down from whatever they serve you at your mom's castle, but you need to eat."

"Well, don't you sound concerned?" Mal said sweetly. "I thought you'd have run off when I woke up."

"Believe me, I thought of it all night, but something just kept pulling me back here. I don't know what. I just thought it was best not to fight it," said Carlos.

Mal takes a sip of the soup.

"That tastes good," said Mal. "Learned cooking from serving your mom?"

"Yup," Carlos confirmed. "She never appreciated my cooking. She just cared about if I served it on time."

"Well, aren't you quite the Cinderella?" Mal teased.

"You're already making me regret staying," Carlos joked. As he started to eat the rest of what's in the can, he asked, "So, after we're done eating, where do we go?"

"You really want to stick around with me?" asked Mal.

"Until I find out what's going on in that head of yours, you're stuck with me," said Carlos.

"Won't your resistance buddies come looking for you?" asked Mal.

"I've left on my own so many times, they started to learn to just leave me alone," said Carlos. "I think we're good."

"You might regret it," Marl warned.

"I know," said Carlos. "So, where to next?"

"Well, I think it's time to pay an old friend a visit," said Mal. "Good news, she's not as bad as I am. Bad news, she's still bad news."

"I've been fighting for three years. I can't afford to be a coward," said Carlos.

"So, let me ask you a little something," said Mal. "That song you were playing last night. The last one you played before I slept. It sounded... wonderful. Where did you learn it? Who taught you?"

"I... I don't know," Carlos said, sounding uncertain. "I mean, there's this song that's been playing in my head over and over and over again. It's sad, but beautiful at the same time. I don't know what it is or why I keep thinking of it, but playing it helps ease my curiosity."

"It sounded quite... romantic," Mal said. "You have a special girl in your life?"

"Well... I..." Carlos then paused, not sure if he should say anything else.

"That's okay. Your life is your own. I only wanted to know your past and how it defined you today," said Mal.

After they were finished eating, they prepared for another walk. Before they continued their journey together, Mal had a random thought that she hoped would be useful one day.

"Hey, can I have one of your arrows?" asked Mal.

"Which one?" Carlos responded.

"A normal one," said Mal. "Don't worry. I'm not gonna stab you or anything. Just trust me, even if it's impossible."

Carlos slowly gives Mal one of his normal arrows. Mal holds it in her hand as she starts enchanting it with her magic, startling Carlos. After she was done, she gives it back to him. The arrow glowed purple and the glow doesn't seem to be going away.

"What is this for?" asked Carlos.

"One of these days, you'll find a use for it," Mal said mysteriously.

* * *

Mal heads southwest towards a beach. In the old reality, the beach was close to the castle that belonged to Ariel and Eric. Right now, that castle belonged to a certain someone who Mal despises very much. But that someone isn't at the castle right now. That someone is on board a pirate ship that looked exactly like The Lost Revenge. It was sailing not too far from the shore. Using Carlos' binoculars, she can see _her_ on the ship.

Uma.

"The sea witch Ursula's daughter," said Carlos. "Are you two close?"

"I have a feeling that's the case," Mal replied. "Okay, look, I don't want you out of my sight, so please play along."

Mal puts enchanted cuffs on Carlos and takes his bow and quiver. She straps quiver around herself and shrinks the bow to keep it safe in her jacket.

"Can you at least trust me 15%?" asked Mal.

"I can try," said Carlos.

Mal holds hand high up and then shoots fire into the sky like a flare, attracting The Lost Revenge crew's attention. Soon enough, the ship started turning back towards the beach. Up close, The Lost Revenge looked different. It was once a, as one would call, "a scrap heap," but in this new reality, The Lost Revenge looks just as strong and well-built as any other pirate ship. Clearly, ruling the seas means Uma could make upgrades to her ship.

Swinging down from the ship is the young sea witch herself, Uma.

Just like Evie and Jay, living on top of the world meant better clothing. Uma wore shinier leather, as if they soaked but sparkling. Gold sparkling knee pads on her tights and a hairstyle that makes her look like she's wearing a tiara.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the future ruler of Auradon," said Uma. "How's it going, princess?"

"Same as always, Shrimpy," Mal replied with the same insulting tone.

Mal and Uma glared at each other for a good amount of time. Carlos stepped back a little to avoid the conflict he sensed was coming. After a while of staring, Uma smiles and punches Mal on the shoulder in a friendly way.

"You're never gonna stop calling me Shrimpy, are you?" asked Uma.

"Care to give me reason why I should stop?" Mal replied, acting (sort of) friendly now since that's what Uma seems to be doing.

"You removed that shrimp smell from my hair four years ago," Uma reminded.

"True, but the name still sticks," Mal said in a slightly derisive tone. "I mean, you did just call me princess."

"Only because your mother is the queen of all," said Uma. "How've you been? Haven't seen you since the anniversary. It's like you just vanished."

"Let's just say my latest execution has forced me to think about what lies ahead," said Mal.

"I'll say. You burned that man alive instead of cutting his head off," said Uma. "I mean, I know you have this thing for fire, but that was kinda shocking to everyone."

"I know. I read the comments online," said Mal. "I guess I just needed something new and fresh for my execution methods. You know. I love a good fire."

Uma looks over Mal's shoulder, sees Carlos, and asks, "Who's he?"

"My prisoner," Mal answered. "I'm on an all-around-Auradon journey by myself, and then I found this piece of resistance filth. Robin Hood Jr., or as I like to call him."

"You know, he looks familiar," said Uma.

"Uma, meet the son of Cruella De Vil, Carlos. Carlos, this is my friend Uma," Mal introduced.

"If I'm your friend, then why didn't you let me join your little Dragons group?" asked Uma.

"Care to remind me why?" Mal asked casually, as to not give away that she is unaware of the reason.

"You said you didn't want, and I quote, some stupid group to come between our friendship," said Uma. "Hey, I appreciate you trying to keep it between us, but don't you think it'll be easier if you just let me be part of your gang?"

"Sorry, Shrimpy, but I stand with my reason," Mal said rather solemnly. "Just be glad our friendship is barely as thick as salt water."

"Whoa, what's the attitude?" Uma questioned, wondering why Mal was acting strange towards her. "Did your prisoner put you in a bad mood or something?"

Mal didn't say a word as she subtly gave Uma the hostile stare. Mal knows this is not the Uma of before, but just the sight of her is enough to cause her darkest emotions to rise to the surface. The last time she saw Uma, she almost killed Ben and didn't care if CJ was gonna die even though her so-called lover Harry did care about his younger sister's fate. But she knew she can't let her personal feelings towards Uma affect her act. She has to convince everyone that she is the Mal of this world.

"Between you and me, it's my mom who's putting me in a bad mood," said Mal.

"Pressures of ruling?" Uma guessed. "This isn't the heroes' Auradon. It's our Auradon. You can rule anyway you want. That's the whole point of us taking over, remember?"

"Even if, good or bad, being in charge comes with responsibility. I'm just not sure I'm ready for that," said Mal.

"If we're being honest, Mal, you're the one who's really in charge, not your mother," said Uma.

"Hmm, ain't that the truth?" Mal replied with an agreeing smirk.

"Want to come along for a ride?" Uma asked, offering Mal a moment of sailing across the seas.

"My prisoner comes with me," Mal said.

Carlos gulped. Being on a ship full of villain kids who are truly evil, it's terrifying.

* * *

And so, The Lost Revenge returns to the seas, with Mal on board, along with the still cuffed Carlos De Vil. Mal wanted to see the other VKs first before she starts mingling. Harry was there, as expected. He winked at her with that flirty grin on his face. Mal couldn't wink back since all eyes were on here, so she subtly smiled at him to let him know that she's still his girl... no matter how much it disgusted her. It made her wonder, though, why is Harry still Uma's first mate if he's not in love with her?

"Ship looks neat," Mal started.

"Well, we're living on the top of the world, Mal. We can't do that with a ship that looks like it just survived a tsunami," said Uma.

"Where's the rest of the crew?" asked Mal.

"Oh, they asked for the day off. We just came back from beating Harriet to a chest full of treasure and they wanted to revel in their victory," said Uma.

"And how is Harriet now?" asked Mal.

"Bitter from defeat, but expressed her respect for the competition and to me, her own brother," said Harry.

"You two getting along well?" Mal asked curiously.

"You know Harry and Harriet are as thick as thieves, Mal. This shouldn't be a surprise. They'd die for each other," said Uma.

Another thing that has changed in this new world. Instead of being at each other's throat, Harry and Harriet share the same bond as Harry and CJ in the old world. If Mal were to see Harry and Harriet treating each other with respect, she might think she's dreaming.

"And what about you, Shrimpy? Why not join the others in their celebration?" asked Mal.

"Harry, Gil, and I, we prefer to celebrate with a simple cruise, just feeling the wind in our faces as we remember that all of this is ours," said Uma.

"Feels surreal at times?" Mal asked.

"Well, heroes are always meant to have their happily ever afters," said Uma. "But here we are. The villains. We're up next, and now it's our time."

"In order to achieve full victory, the resistance has to be crushed," said Harry. "Such as the little fellow right over there."

Carlos sat down on the floor, still cuffed and without his weapons.

"What do you want me to do with him, luv?" Harry asked the purple-haired sorceress, reading his hook for some hooking.

"No one touches him without my say-so," said Mal. "And I say, I want him back in my castle in one piece."

"I'm sure a little scratch won't hurt," said Harry.

"As tempting as that sounds, I prefer to keep him unscathed during our trip together," said Mal.

"Going soft, Mal?" Uma asked suspiciously.

"More like a more intricate kind of torture," Mal whispered, pretending that she doesn't need Carlos to hear her. "If I rough him up too much before I go home, he'll be begging for death. I don't want him to do that, not until it's time for judgment. Right now, I just let him keep hoping when there's no hope at all."

"Whoa! Now that's diabolical," Uma admitted, impressed. "Don't you think, Gil? Gil?"

Gil was preoccupied with taking a look at one of Carlos' special arrows. He seemed intrigued, which is odd since the real Gil would most likely look like a nerd geeking over cool tech-y arrows.

"What does this arrow do?" Gil asked the prisoner.

"Non-lethal explosive," Carlos answered.

"But how is that possible?" asked Gil. "The properties of exploding particles always terminate organic and non-organic cells in an instant."

Mal raised an eyebrow. Did Gil just talk like a scientist?

"Atomic isolation and reduction of acidic molecules," Carlos explained.

"Fascinating," said Gil.

Okay, now this new world really feels like hell. Evie and Jay are getting married. Uma is nice to Mal. Harry is Mal's boyfriend. And Gil is s-s-s... smart? Smart?! In what universe is the youngest son of Gaston ever smart? This one apparently, Mal thought.

"Hey, Mal," Uma called. "What's say to a little sparring session? Been a long time. Six months, at least."

"Well, if you insist," said Mal.

"I assume this is regular for you two," Carlos guessed.

"Just some friendly training and sparring," said Uma.

"And Mal wins every time," Gil mentioned.

"Oh, really?" Mal replied. Acting smug, she asks, "And how many times have I won? I forgot."

"You're just rubbing it in my face, aren't you?" Uma said, thinking Mal is just gloating.

"99-0," Gil said.

"I'm no expert on Mathematics, but I believe that makes it one more victory before Mal's streak reaches triple digits," said Harry.

Uma draws her sword. Mal does the same. The two bow before getting into their fighting stances. Harry and Gil stay near Carlos on the far corner so that Mal and Uma can have more room to fight on the deck. The two circle around each other, waiting for the other to make a move. Mal blew her hair off her face. Uma moved one of her braids. They were just daring each other to make the first move.

And Uma made the first move.

The swinging started. Left and right, Uma swings as fast as she could. Mal blocks every swing with little trouble. Among other things that haven't changed in this reality, Uma still can't best her in sword-fighting. Uma may not be giving it her all since this is just friendly sparring, but Mal can tell that it was not enough. Uma spins and steps forward multiple times in an attempt to corner Mal, but she was smarter than that. Mal kicks Uma in the stomach before tumbling away from the corner. Mal raises her sword and brings it down on Uma, who blocks the strike with her sword.

"You're taking this way too seriously," said Uma. "That kick didn't feel so friendly."

"Well, I'm not exactly in a friendly mood," said Mal.

Mal pushes harder and knocks Uma backwards. Mal kicks Uma in the stomach again. Uma stumbles backwards and hits a barrel. Mal charges at her, howling with the fury of fighter. Uma dodges Mal's next swing, which sliced the barrel in half.

"You don't suppose she's trying to hurt Uma, is she?" Gil wondered.

"Preposterous. They're bond is strong," said Harry.

"Then why does she look like she's trying kill her?" asked Gil.

"Has Uma done anything to provoke Mal?" asked Carlos.

"Silence, archer!" Harry snapped, holding his hook close to Carlos' face. "I would not wish to defy Mal, so don't tempt me to."

Mal was overwhelming Uma with her fast and strong swinging. Uma decided not to take this lightly and shows more spirit in her fighting. Even still, Mal was too strong and too quick. Uma managed to block Mal's swings, high and low, left and right, but Mal would not let failed strikes stop her. After a couple more swings, Mal strikes Uma's blade off her hand. Mal kicks Uma on the hip and then knocks her down with a roundhouse kick to the face. Mal dared Uma to stand up by pointing the tip of her sword at her face, breathing heavily as she did.

"Okay, you win," Uma yielded, moving the blade away from her face. "Just take it easy. What's wrong with you?"

"I... I... I don't know," Mal lied.

Mal sheathes her sword and steps away, trying to recover from the rage that overcame her. Shen then offers Uma a hand. The young sea witch accepts the gesture and lets Mal help her back on her feet.

"No hard feelings?" Mal hoped.

"Clearly, you're not feeling well, so no, no hard feelings," said Uma.

Uma extends her curled fist, asking for a fist bump.

"Still partners?" asked Uma.

"Not partners," said Mal. "Friends."

Mal fist-bumps with Uma.

"Congratulations, luv," Harry said to Mal, caressing her cheek with his hook. "You made it. 1 and 0 and 0."

"It's called a hundred, Harry," said Mal.

Harry bowed before stepping away, returning to keeping an eye on Carlos. Mal smiled at Harry just to keep up the act and then dropped it when he could no longer see the look on her face.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Uma then asked if they could talk in private. They went to the captain's quarters to do so. Uma closed the door and made sure no one would eavesdrop. But since Harry and Gil are watching over Carlos, that's unlikely to happen. Just like the The Lost Revenge in the new world, the captain's quarters looked neat, even for a ship belong to a VK.

"Mal, I know about you and Harry," said Uma.

"What gave it away?" asked Mal.

"The way he looks at you, it was more than just flirting. I know, because I've been by his side since he and I were kids," said Uma. "And I saw how you looked at him when you came on board. Don't think I didn't notice."

"Congratulations. You found out our little secret," Mal said sarcastically. "Jealous?"

"Well... n-no," Uma lied.

"Uma, I know you've had a thing for Harry since forever. No use hiding it," said Mal.

"It's my fault," said Uma. "I was so hesitant that he started to think that I was no longer interest. The question-rejection game, it just stopped. Then the lovey-dovey staring between you and him happened."

"This isn't gonna get in the way of our friendship, is it?" Mal asked as she crossed her arms. "If so, then our next sparring match won't be pleasant."

"I just wanted to tell you that I know. Whatever happens with you and Harry, it's up to you two," said Uma.

Mal rolls her eyes and says, "If you say so."

"So, since your on this personal trip, maybe you could stick around with us for a while," Uma suggested. "You know, to catch up on lost times. The last six months haven't been as fun as you think. Plus, it would make Harry very happy."

"Thanks, Uma, but I'd rather go back to land and continue on my own," said Mal. "But if I wanna hang out, I'll poof to wherever you are. Just a snap of a finger."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Mal returned to the main deck to get Carlos. She ordered Harry and Gil to get away from him. She asked him to wait by the other side of the ship while she gathers her belongings. After strapping the quiver around herself, Mal was approached by her "boyfriend" Harry.

"You sure you can't stay?" asked Harry. "We never got a chance to sail the seas together."

"One day, Harry. One day," Mal promised. "Right now, I have things to sort out. Stuff to straighten out. But I promise, we'll have our day."

"I'll count the days then," said Harry.

Harry kisses Mal on the lips. Mal reluctantly kissed back just to keep him from growing suspicious. The first he kissed her, she was frozen. She couldn't do that again if it means making sure Harry stays oblivious.

"Uh, can we go now?" Carlos asked.

"What do you intend to do with him, luv?" Harry asked his girlfriend.

"Not sure yet, but I'll share with you the details someday," said Mal.

* * *

Mal teleports herself and Carlos off The Lost Revenge and back to the beach. They returned to the woods, looking for a place to rest until they can continue their journey. But then Carlos stopped, gesturing to his still cuffed arms. He looked as if he was accusing her of lying, to which Mal laughed at.

"You said I'm no longer your prisoner," said Carlos.

"Yeah, I know," said Mal. "I just had to be sure no one can see us."

Mal was about to remove the cuffs when... she froze. She sensed something within the forest. Carlos was beginning to get anxious due to the look on Mal's face.

"We're being watched," Mal said.

All of a sudden, archers jumped out and aimed their arrows at the daughter of Maleficent. The archers were the Merry Men, what's left of them Leading them is Will Scarlet. Mal did the wise thing and puts down the quiver. She would've reached in her jacket for the shrunken bow, but she knew sudden movement would make the Merry Men shoot at her. Regardless whether the arrows will actually do anything to her, she would rather keep things quiet.

"Carlos!"

The voice that shouted the name of Carlos belonged to the blonde pirate who ran out of the shadows. To Mal's shock... it was CJ Hook. She looked the same, except that there was no tie on her long, wavy yellow hear, allowing it to move more freely depending on CJ's movements. CJ rushes towards Carlos and, to Mal's perplexity, wraps her arms around the white-haired boy in a very affectionate manner.

"You scared the barnacles off me," CJ said. She sounded like she was worried.

"I'm sorry," Carlos apologized. "But you know why I keep doing this."

"I know. I do," CJ said understandingly. "But you have to remember. You're not alone. You have Scarlet, the Merry Men... and me."

"I do remember," Carlos said softly and sweetly.

CJ smiled and, to Mal's disorientation, kissed Carlos right on the lips. As if Mal didn't feel too confused already, Carlos kissed CJ back. A lot of love and passion was shown through the kiss, which immediately told Mal what Carlos and CJ's relationship in this new world is.

Evie and Jay being an item was one thing, but CJ and Carlos... really? Mal expected CJ to get together with Jay since the real CJ always had a crush on Jay, but _this_ is something else.

After the kiss, CJ turned to Mal and punched her in face. Mal was unfazed, but admired CJ's spunk. At least that didn't change about her.

"That feels good," said CJ.

"Long time coming, I'm guessing," Mal said.

"CJ, let me explain," Carlos pleaded.

"Save it for later, Carlos," said CJ. "This is big. The resistance has a new prisoner, but not just any prisoner. The daughter of Maleficent herself. Ben will be happy when we bring her back with us."

Will Scarlet shoots at arrow that pierce Mal on the shoulder. It barely hurt Mal, since she just ripped it out of her shoulder with no problem. Unfortunately, the arrow's tip was coated with a tranquilizing agent. Fortunately, it did nothing to Mal. The sleeping agent in her system burned up the instant it touched her blood.

"Let me make it easier for you," said Mal.

Mal transfers Carlos' cuffs to her own wrists, surrendering herself to the Merry Men. She casts a spell on the chains that made whoever wear them fall asleep for a temporary time. And since Mal is the one wearing the chains, she passes out into a magical nap.

It was time to meet the resistance.

 **You read it right, folks. It's time to meet the resistance... in the next chapter.**

 **Uma may come off as a little bit too nice, but remember, this is when she's around Mal, who is her BFF in this new world. When you see Uma in a real battlefield, don't expect her to be as nice as she was in this chapter.**

 **So, what do you think?**


	5. Meet the Resistance

**Well, here we are. The chapter where Mal meets the resistance in this new world. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, Anonymousnette, danifan3000, xez2003, Mustang52, The 007, Carvie12, TheGreatGodzilla**

 ** _To The 007_: You're welcome. I'm glad you liked it.**

 ** _To Carvie12_: Keep your fingers crossed.**

For 16 years (in the new world), no one has ever found the place that the resistance uses as both a base of operations and a safe refuge. Well, one villain kid is about to find out. After willingly surrendering to the Merry Men and casting a sleeping spell on herself, Mal is being taken to... the Isle of the Lost. The Merry Men have vanishing potions that allow them to teleport from the Isle to Auradon, and vise versa. That's how no one knows where they hide. But there is no one in the village. After all, they'd be easy to spot when someone patrols the Isle. No, they hide in the catacombs below.

In the catacombs are all of the good people that remained in Auradon. The catacombs were fairly large, so it was able to hold tens of thousands of people. Yes, that's the sad truth. Millions of good people have perished in the war, and what's left are either part of the resistance or prisoners in Auradon.

Carlos, CJ, and the Merry Men take the still asleep Mal to their leader. Just like everyone in the catacombs, the young Prince Ben has his own private space, and that is where Mal is taken. He was currently looking at a painting of his parents, Queen Belle and King Adam (formerly known as Beast). The sad look on his face just staring at the picture means all but good news.

"Carlos!"

That cry of relief came from Scarlet, the daughter of Robin Hood and Maid Marian. She was named Scarlet because she was born with scarlet red hair. And scarlet is the color she wears all the time, as shown by her scarlet archer suit. She runs towards Carlos and gives him a hug, feeling so happy to see him back safe and sound.

"You scared the heck out of me," said Scarlet.

"I'm sorry," Carlos apologized.

"Will you ever stop?" Scarlet asked while chuckling in between words.

"Did Robin Hood ever stop?" Carlos replied.

"I guess not," said Scarlet. "But you don't have to be exactly like him."

"I know," said Carlos. "I trick out my arrows with technology, for one thing."

Scarlet laughs again as she punches Carlos on the shoulder. They used to playfully mock Robin Hood for not upgrading his arrows with technology.

"Ben!" CJ called. "We have a couple of good news."

Ben turns around only to be surprised by what his fellow survivors have brought back. The daughter of Maleficent herself.

"You wanna know what happened to Carlos now, well, here's your answer," said CJ.

"Actually, I can explain," said Carlos.

"Not now," Ben interrupted. "Get Fairy God Mother, now!"

CJ went to do just that, dragging Carlos with her as well. More and more people surround the still slumbering villain kid. Audrey. Chad. Lonnie. Jane. Jordan. Ally. Ruby.

"She took a tranquilizer arrow to the shoulder. It didn't even do anything to her," said Will Scarlet.

"Then why is she asleep?" asked Jane.

"'Cause I wanted to be here."

Everyone was startled when the supposedly sleeping Mal spoke. She stands up and breaks her own chains. Ben, Chad, and Lonnie draw their swords and point them at Mal, daring her to make another move.

"Easy with the swords, boys and girls. You could poke someone's eye out," Mal said, deciding to joke around.

Mal pokes the tip of Chad's sword and accidentally cuts herself, although on purpose. The cut magically heals in an instant. She moves Chad's sword out of her face as she faces the leader of the resistance himself. Ben.

"Benjamin Florian. Product of Beauty and the Beast. Son of Belle and Adam. Destined to be the future ruler of Auradon," Mal said, in the form of a villainous monologue. Cliche as it may, she was not afraid wasting her time. "17 years of life, and here you are, hiding in a cave with only what's left of the good people of what should've been your kingdom."

"Your mother made sure of that, just not fully," Ben said with hostility.

"Oh, I don't deny that," Mal said with that sickly smirk on her face.

"You think this is a joke?" Ben questioned.

Mal started chuckling, unsettling everyone who can hear her. At the end of her chuckle, she quickly smacked Ben's sword away from her face. Ben, however, didn't look too scared. He still looked quite brave looking at the daughter of Maleficent in the eye without shaking in fright. The others, however, were not as brave. Mal then used her evil stare to intimidate Ben. It worked, as always, but when she stopped, he recovered from his fear quite quickly.

"Well, looks like you're tougher than I thought," said Mal.

Carlos and CJ returned with Fairy God Mother, only to see that Mal is not only awake but out of her own cuffs.

"Mom, quick!" Jane shouted.

Fairy God Mother waves her wand and says, "Bibbidi-Bobbidi..."

"Boo," Mal interrupted.

Mal interferes with the magic wand's spell and unleashes a magical boom that sends Fairy God Mother flying away. Mal calls the wand to her hand and keeps Fairy God Mother magically glued to the wall.

"Too easy," Mal said arrogantly.

Chad and Lonnie engage Mal. Mal kicks Chad in the stomach while simultaneously ducking from Lonnie's swing. Mal throws a fireball to the ground to knock Lonnie away from her.

"A+ for going at me together, but F- for full performance," Mal commented.

Ben tried to wrestle the wand away from Mal, but she beats him with a simple knee to the stomach, headbutt, and magical blast to the chest.

"I'm kinda disappointed," Mal commented.

CJ draws her sword and takes on Mal herself. Mal uses Fairy God Mother's wand as a shield from CJ's blade and then kicks her down.

"Where's the crazy, CJ?" Mal mocked.

Jordan rubs her lamp to cast a spell, but Mal interrupts her by magically trapping her in the lamp. She casts a force field around the lamp to keep Jordan trapped and to keep anyone from freeing the genie inside.

"Hope you're cozy in there," Mal joked.

Ruby uses her 50-foot-long golden hair to tie up Mal, but Mal teleports out of hair. She poofs up behind Ruby and casts a less dangerous version of the sleeping spell on her. That way, Ruby doesn't need a kiss to wake up.

"Sleep tight," said Mal.

Mal hears the sound of the drawing back of a bow. She turns around and sees Carlos aiming an arrow at her. But it wasn't just any arrow. It was the arrow that she herself enchanted. Carlos didn't know what it does, but here he is, aiming it at her.

"You don't want to use that on me," said Mal.

"I was so close to trusting you, but then you hurt my friends," said Carlos. "You've been lying to me this whole time."

"You really believe that?" Mal questioned. "I wasn't counting on your girlfriend and the Merry Men to find me. I had every intention to let you go when we were done. I just surrendered because I thought, why wait for tomorrow when it can be done today?"

"When _what_ can be done?" asked Carlos.

"All I can tell you is that what you think I have planned for the resistance is not at all what I had in mind," said Mal.

"How can I believe you?" asked Carlos.

"Released your grip on the string and find out," Mal dared.

Carlos' hands shook as he and Mal stared at one another. He looked at her with indecision, and she looked at him with fortitude. They've been through this scenario already, and he put down the arrow before. And he did it again. He lowers the bow and puts the magical arrow back in his quiver. Mal didn't look smug or anything. She just looked at him with pity and sympathy.

"Now, your highness," Mal said as she faced Ben. "I believe you and I need to talk. Alone. No witnesses. No eavesdroppers."

"You think I'd be so kind as to give you a chance to make a fool out of all of us? No," Ben said determinedly. "Whatever you have to say or do, you can say it or do it to me. You're not getting out of here or getting any more chances. I'll make sure of it."

Mal was surprised. New World Ben still has the same valor as the old Ben, but his rage and spirit, it's nothing like the old Ben. Oh, Mal would just love to know what made Ben so hardened and daring.

"I came here on my own free will, Ben," said Mal. "Yes, I have my reasons, but not for the reasons you think."

"And why should I trust anything you have to say?" Ben questioned, still unwilling to trust Mal even a little bit. "Your mother is the one who forced us all down here to hide and suffer. We have to live off with what we have for 16 long years."

"And I'm not apologizing for it," Mal said, still acting like the Mal of this world. "But the way I see it, this can go two ways, Bennyboo."

"Hey!" Audrey shouted. "Only I call him that."

"Too bad. I'm calling him that too," said Mal.

"Audrey, please, calm yourself," Ben pleaded.

Audrey stayed back.

Mal continued. "We either fight and I kill everyone in here, only because you will leave me no choice, or you and I talk and settle a few things peacefully."

Ben walks over to his sword and picks it up. He then looks at Mal, who still looked dead serious about wanting that talk. Ben really didn't want to give her any chances. She could be here to kill them all or trick them into giving up their location to the other villains. Whatever it was, he couldn't just let her traipse around the catacombs like she's been welcomed with open arms. She's the daughter of Maleficent, for crying out loud. Maleficent is the evilest villain of all, and her daughter is the worst of the new generation. He has heard about a lot of her misdeeds, such as hundreds of cases of arson, executing his men for the past five years, treating the weak like they're nothing, among many other wicked doings.

Then Ben remembered a lesson his mother taught him. Even in a moment of darkness and desperation, never stop listening to your heart. It always tells you what you need to do. For some reason, Ben's heart is telling him to listen to her. He didn't know why. The longer he stared at Mal, the more this strange feeling inside his heart and mind bother him.

"Release Fairy God Mother and then follow me," said Ben. "The rest of you, stay here until I get back."

Ben puts his sword back in his scabbard as he leads Mal further into the catacombs. The others rushed towards Fairy God Mother as soon as Mal released her from the wall. Mal dropped the wand as she followed Ben. Lonnie picks it up and returns it to its rightful owner.

"Are you okay, mom?" asked Jane.

"Fine, sweetie," said Fairy God Mother. "I think I'm losing my touch."

"Or maybe just say Bibbido-Bobbidi-Boo faster next time," said CJ.

"Bibbidibobbidiboo!" Ally tried. "I think it's simple enough."

"Why is Ben being civil about this?" Chad wondered. "She's the worst VK ever."

"Whatever he's planning, we need to trust him," said Lonnie. "I know he's too young to be our leader, but he's the best we have right now."

"We can't just leave him alone with her," Audrey said, worried.

"Let Ben take care of Maleficent's daughter. Right now, we just need to get Jordan out of her lamp," said Lonnie.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Mal and Ben are now far enough for anyone to not hear them. Mal just kept snapping her fingers, lighting a fire and then turning it off over and over and over again. Clearly, she wanted Ben to speak first. To end the disturbing sight of someone playing with fire, Ben thought of his first words wisely.

"You said you're here because you wanted to be here," Ben started.

"I wasn't exactly expecting Robin Hood's boys to show up out of nowhere," said Mal.

"Then why were you holding Carlos as a prisoner?" asked Ben.

"First of all, he ambushed me in my sleep," said Mal. "And second, my reason for keeping him with me is my business."

"Why surrender yourself to us?" asked Ben.

"That's also my business," said Mal.

"How can you expect me to take this conversation seriously if you're gonna be a closed book?" Ben questioned. "You're lucky I don't just send your corpse to your mother."

"Ooh, I didn't expect the leader of the heroes to have such a violent mind," Mal said, wowed by Ben's words. "Oh, why would the son of two pure souls ever sink to this level?"

"How could you find humor in all this?" Ben questioned, appalled by Mal's behavior.

"Then tell me," Mal said curiously. "What could have made you this way?"

"DON'T PRETEND THAT YOU DON'T KNOW!" Ben shouted.

While a bit surprised on the inside, Mal's facial expression didn't change, as if Ben's sudden burst of anger didn't faze her. It did, but she wouldn't show it. She just waited for him to tell her his sob story without drawing suspicion.

"In case your memory is foggy, my parents led the resistance after your mother took over Auradon," Ben reminded. "Six years ago, one of the resistance's hiding places in Auradon was discovered. Your mother led an assault on us that day. Me and my parents there. I was told to hide, and I had to watch your mother snuff the life out of my parents right in front of me. Do you have any idea what that does to a child?"

"No," Mal said stoically. "But I can tell that it must be so bad that you, a hero's child, would want to kill me."

"Don't you want to do the same to all of us?" Ben questioned.

"I know a couple people here I'd want to do that to," Mal said playfully, still playing along.

"It's just the two of us. So, I'm gonna ask you this again and I want a different answer," said Ben. "Why should I trust anything you have to say?"

"You don't," said Mal. "You just need to hear me out."

"What, so you can end us once and for all?" Ben accused. "You should've thought twice before deciding to surrender. I would've preferred you were out there."

"I won't tell you what I want with Carlos and with the resistance, but I will tell you this," said Mal. "I don't want what my mother wants. I have my own agenda. It could be as bad as my mother's rule, or it could be far less worse. You can keep me down here if you want, but I'll just get out like no big deal."

"Fairy God Mother's magic can neutralize yours," said Ben.

"Trust me, Benny Bear. No magic in this world can stop me," said Mal.

"Then what do you want?" asked Ben.

"Believe it or not, I want to get to know everyone down here," said Mal.

"Why, so you can use them for your sick plans?" Ben accused.

"Maybe, though I wouldn't say my plans are sick," said Mal. "But I guess it's all about perspective, huh? The good, the bad, the ugly, it's all about how you see it."

"So you just want me to let you walk around these catacombs and act like a friendly citizen? You're delusional," Ben replied.

"Maybe," said Mal. "And you're smart. You shouldn't trust me. For all you know, I could just be setting you all up for destruction. But here's the thing about assumptions. They mean nothing. Only I know what I really want to do. Only I know what I don't want to do. You don't get to judge me because you don't know me. _I_ know me."

"Perhaps," Ben agreed, somewhat. "But you can't blame me for doubting your words."

"Actually, I _can_ blame you, because it won't matter whether you believe me or not," said Mal. "I'm gonna do what I say I do, and no one here is gonna get hurt... less they attack me first."

"And when you're done, what then?" asked Ben. "How can I trust you that you won't tell your mother where we are?"

"I'll spend the night here," said Mal.

"You're truly deranged if you think I'm just gonna agree to this," said Ben.

"Look, Prince-y, I'm gonna do what I want whether you like it or not," said Mal. "You can stick your sword into my heart, but it won't do you any good. So, I'm gonna go and have a little sightseeing. It's your choice whether you just want to stand and stare or do something about it."

Mal turns her back on Ben walks back to where the rest of the good people are.

"Oh, and if you decide to stare, make sure you focus on my face," Mal said in a teasing fashion.

* * *

Mal returned to the large crowd and attracted a lot of attention. Ben's closest friends, who are still discussing about the daughter of Maleficent, stopped talking and looked at Mal with either fear, alertness, or both. Mal just smiled off everyone's staring. She walks pass Carlos, Lonnie, and the others as she takes a look around. Ben returns just in time to get bombarded with questions.

"Why is she just walking around like she owns the place?" Chad asked. "We should be making an example of her. Use her as a message for Maleficent."

"Believe me, Chad. I had the same thought. But something tells me trying to force her to submit will only make things worse," said Ben. "As much as I don't like it, we just leave her alone."

"Are you nuts?!" Audrey exclaimed.

"Maybe, but she didn't give me much of a choice," said Ben. "Just don't provoke her and she won't hurt anyone."

Fairy God Mother finally manages to free Jordan from her lamp, just in time to argue with Ben. She could still hear everyone from inside her lamp.

"And you actually believe she won't do it anyway?" Jordan questioned.

"I don't know, Jordan. She's an enigma, I'll give her that," said Ben.

(Oh, if only Ben knew just how big of an enigma Mal really is)

Mal walked casually around the catacombs, eyeing her surroundings. She can try to not look threatening, but the mere sight of her was enough to force the citizens into a state of fear. Parents shielded their children. Orphans hide behind the nearest adult. Bashful the Dwarf hiding behind a stalagmite to save his life. Speaking of Bashful, he is one of the three Dwarfs who are still alive at this point. Joining him are Happy and Sleepy. That's when Mal noticed one little thing.

Doug is nowhere to be seen. Either he died as a child along with his father Dopey, or he never existed at all in this world.

"Oh, if Yzla only remembered, she'd be devastated," said Mal, since Yzla was dating Doug in the old world.

Mal looked around to see if any of the original heroes and sidekicks of Auradon were still alive. Not so much, unfortunately. Besides Fairy God Mother, Will Scarlet and a handful of Merry Men, and three of the Seven Dwarfs, there was Kristoff (and his reindeer companion, Sven), Wendy Darling, the Grand Duke, Jaq and Gus, Sebastian, and Lancelot.

"I bet you just love seeing us suffer, don't you?" Lonnie asked accusingly.

In truth, Mal didn't. She hated seeing everyone suffer. They barely had enough food, clothing, and other supplies to keep themselves alive. That's why they had to resort to stealing from Auradon to survive. But Mal had to act neutral to be more believable in this new world.

"Let's just say that I hate seeing the wrong kind of people suffer," said Mal.

"You really think I would believe that?" Lonnie questioned. "I've seen your social media accounts. Nothing but misery, disasters caused by you, and you just smiling and laughing at the world burning down. Don't think I've forgotten what you said about my parents' deaths."

"Death at the battle of the Great Wall," Mal remembered, having done a little research during her twenty-nine day reclusive state. "Oh, why must it be, Great Wall, that we must perish at your fall."

It's taking a lot of self-control to keep Lonnie from punching Mal for that comment. Mal just ignored Lonnie and continued exploring the catacombs. She found a station where magic potions are being made. Well, in a war like this, you need all the magic you can get. At least she doesn't have to worry about lectures about dangers of magic from Ben.

"I guess this explains how no one knows you're here," Mal muttered.

"There were some patrols here on the Isle years ago, but they've stopped a long time ago," said CJ. "Unless you're planning on telling everyone about this place, that is."

"Why are you even here, CJ?" asked Mal. "And why Carlos? I mean, he's cute, smart, and I can tell he's a good kisser, but... why?"

"Oh, why do you ask Mal? Did my brother, your so-called BF, not tell you?" CJ asked mockingly and sarcastically.

"I can honestly say he didn't," Mal said, although she doesn't know

"Well, if you must know, I turned because of Carlos," said CJ. "He knew what it was like to be mistreated by family. Only, I had to deal with two condescending older siblings who do nothing but bring me down while they treat each other like equals. Carlos captured me during a resistance search in Neverland, but instead of executing me, he listened to me. He understood me, taught me that this whole being evil stuff is not worth it if people don't respect or care about you. So, here I am. Even when the people here treated me like a villain, Carlos was always there for me. Harry and Harriet didn't even bother to look for me. They just assumed I'm dead and din't even throw a funeral for me."

Mal knew just how CJ felt. When her post-death actions made everyone distrust her, she turned to Carlos and the two of them fell in love.

"What about you? Are you saying you're ready to turn?" asked CJ.

"I can't say anything for certain," said Mal. "But I do have my doubts."

After seeing just about enough, Mal decided to return to Ben to talk about her staying for the night. However, she ended up stumbling into a private conversation between him and Audrey. She hid behind the corner as she watched and listened. Something about the way Ben and Audrey look at and talk to each other was off. Mal can only just watch and listen to find out if her suspicions are true.

"That monster's mother killed my parents, Ben," Audrey said sadly. "You can't be serious about letting her stay for the night."

Ben gently holds Audrey's shoulders and says, "I know. I know. This is stupid. But I just don't know what to do. Everything she says, whether true of false, is getting me nowhere. The best we can do is keep her close until we find out what she really wants. But don't worry. I'll protect you."

"Always?" Audrey asked as she held Ben's hands affectionately.

"You're the brightest light in my life right now, Audrey. Of course, I'll always protect you," said Ben.

As Mal expected, Ben and Audrey kissed. Mal rolled her eyes and looked away as Ben and Audrey held each other close. As if this world already felt like hell, seeing Ben and Audrey being together, and with Ben's feelings for Audrey being true in this new world, made this place feel like hell has frozen over. After Audrey left Ben alone, Mal took her turn to approach him. She tried to act natural, not wanting him to know he saw him kiss Audrey.

"How's mingling with the masses?" asked Ben.

"Everyone's throwing shade and shaking in fear, as expected," Mal answered bluntly. "So, about staying for the night..."

"You know we have to keep you under lockdown, right?" Ben said.

"I expect nothing less," said Mal. Casually, she says, "Just point me to my cage and I'll stay put like a good little girl."

"Who are you?" Ben wondered, bewildered by the living enigma in front of him.

* * *

Back at Maleficent's castle, Diablo returned after another day of keeping an eye on Mal from the skies. He told Maleficent about Mal's visit on The Lost Revenge and the Merry Men kidnapping Mal, as well as a certain blonde pirate who was presumed dead. Maleficent's first word about this report was loud and clear...

"UNBELIEVABLE!"

Diabo hid the villainess' throne as he waited for said villainess to calm down.

"Years of training, evil lectures, diabolical planning, and she gets captured by boys with ludicrous toys called bows and arrows?!" Maleficent sounded disappointed in Mal. "Unless... what if she's planning on infiltrating the resistance, sabotaging them from within?"

Diabo had a thinking look on his face. Mal is too clever to be taken down by archers. What if Maleficent's theory is true?

"Oh, it must be," Maleficent said, hoping her theory is the truth. "Well, in that case, let's find out where she is."

Maleficent sits back down on her throne and starts rubbing the Dragon's Eye on her magical scepter. Being the mother of Mal, the magical connection between mother and daughter is strong. Mal can sense magic, especially her mother's. Maleficent, on the other hand, can find her anywhere. When Mal played hide-and-seek with her mom when she was 3, Maleficent would often cheat to win. Unfortunately, something was off.

It wasn't working this time. When she tried to search for Mal, her Dragon's Eye Scepter "shorted out" like a malfunctioning piece of technology and Maleficent felt like something zapped her in the brain.

"Something's not right. This usually works," said Maleficent.

Maleficent tried again. The Dragon's Eye Scepter "shorted out" again and Maleficent felt like her brain got hit by an even bigger zap. She had to stop before she gives herself a headache, not that she didn't already have a mild one.

"Darn it!" Maleficent cursed. "Those heroes must have some magic blocker in whatever base they're in."

Maleficent went to the filming room in her castle. These days, the best way to get a word out to the entire kingdom is through the internet. So, Maleficent had to adapt to modern technology, much to her annoyance. But she does understand the simplicity of standing in front of a camera to record her message. The goblins working there immediately get into positions. On Maleficent's signal, they started recording a live message.

"Attention! All the evil and the wicked of Auradon, hear me!" Maleficent started. "My daughter Mal has been taken by the resistance, those lousy heroes. I know we've searched for their secret location for 16 years, but we have to keep looking. If you don't help me find my daughter, I WILL CAST A CURSE UPON YOU THAT WILL HAUNT YOUR NIGHTMARES FOR THE REST FOR YOUR LIVES! So, go! Stop slacking, stop playing, AND FIND MY DAUGHTER!"

 **I wrote Maleficent's message in partially all-caps. You know what that means. Oh, she's really angry and she's dead serious about her punishment. Which equals no good for anyone in this story.**

 **By the way, in case you're curious, no, there is no magical blocker that is keeping Maleficent from finding Mal. Care to guess what else could be the reason?**

 **Note:**

 **\- I was originally going to have Doug be absent in "Poor Unfortunate Souls," but considering his loyalty to his friends, I thought it wouldn't make sense of him abandoning them in a time of war. Sure, I had Audrey be absent during the war in "Long Live Evil" but that was only for me to adjust to the Descendants 2 feel of watching a Descendants story without Audrey. Simply put, Doug's absence in this new world is just me making up for abandoning my original plan for "Poor Unfortunate Souls."**


	6. Just a Feeling

**The first five chapters were more or less an introduction for the whole story. I think it's time to really get a moving with this story, but first... Mal is still trapped in the resistance's refuge. Gonna have to continue that part first. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, CarvieCamfia2, CC, Mustang52, MaliceMalAmyMalevFaery, xez2003, TheGreatGodzilla**

 ** _To MaliceMalAmyMalevFaery_: I'm sure everyone hopes for that, but Mal's journey must continue.**

 ** _To CC_: Well, you're making me think more and more about granting your wish.**

 ** _To CarvieCamfia2_: I am so very sorry about that.**

 ** _To TheGreatGodzilla_: All I can say is... you are placing a lot of nails on the head, now all that's left is the hammer (figure of speech).**

It was nighttime and everyone in the Catacombs was already asleep, except for their prisoner. Mal. She was locked up in a cell protected by a magical force field cast by Fairy God Mother to keep her from escaping. Ben and his closest friends had to discuss their next plans somewhere Mal and the sleeping citizens can't hear them. Good thing the Catacombs are enormous. There's plenty of space for private conversations in the unoccupied areas.

"She shouldn't be sitting in that cell alive," Lonnie said, referring to Mal.

"Agreed," said Audrey.

"Don't worry. We won't be giving her the satisfaction of putting up with her charade for long," said Ben.

"Are we finally gonna do what I wanted to do?" asked Chad.

"Sort of," said Ben.

"Guys, I know this is gonna sound crazy, but what if she's telling the truth?" Carlos said. "I mean, what if she really means us no harm."

"You honestly believe her?" asked Jordan.

"She was being cryptic about her intentions with the rebellion, but after everything I've seen, there's no sign of a dastardly scheme against us," said Carlos.

"Carlos, this is Maleficent's daughter, remember?" CJ reminded him, knocking on his head as well.

"And you and I are children of villains as well," Carlos replied. "We reformed. Why can't she?"

"Haven't you heard about all the thing's she done?" CJ pointed out. "I love a good ole pillagin' and plunderin', but compared to what she's done, I only look like a 5-year-old bad girl."

"CJ's right, Carlos," said Ben. "You and CJ had believable reasons to turn over to the good side. Mal doesn't. She relishes in her malevolence and the joy of being Maleficent's daughter."

"I know I should have every reason to believe that all of her attempts to bond with me are just part of one big trick, but I can't shake off this feeling that I'm just being paranoid," said Carlos.

"I think Carlos needs Fairy God Mother to give him a head check-up. I think he's been hypnotized or something," Chad whispered out loud.

"What Carlos needs is rest," said CJ.

Carlos didn't argue with his girlfriend. No one is gonna believe him no matter what he says. That still doesn't make this strange feeling go way, the strange feeling that Mal isn't all that bad and that she wants something more than just being evil.

"So, if I may ask, what are we going to do with Mal?" Ally asked curiously.

"If there's one thing Maleficent values as much as her power, it's her daughter," said Ben. "We're gonna use Mal to end this. Tomorrow. I have plan. It involves three teams in three different locations. The A-team will infiltrate the castle with Mal. B-team will guard the castle's perimeter. C-team will create a trap for the other villains so they will not retaliate following Maleficent's defeat."

"Sounds risky," said Lonnie. Smiling with excitement, she then says, "I like it. Can I be on the A-team?"

"You, Chad, Jordan, and a third of our forces will join me on the A-team," said Ben. "Carlos, you'll be leading B-team. Audrey, Jane, Ally, you three and Fairy God Mother gather anyone who will be willing to join the C-team."

"Why can't I join the B-team?" asked Carlos.

"Because your judgment is now clouded when it comes to Mal," said Ben. "I can't let you risk our chances of victory and freedom because of a feeling you have about her."

"You still have my father's sword, Bennyboo?" asked Audrey.

Ben draws his father's sword, the one used to kill Maleficent. It glowed with the magic of the three Good Fairies, who were unfortunately among those who perished in the war. Good thing they re-enchanted King Philip's sword before their demise. It was the only thing that can defeat Maleficent once and for all.

"Our parents gave their lives so we can live to fight their battle. It's time we finish it," said Ben. "Tomorrow night, we end this."

"Ben!"

That was Fairy God Mother. She and a trio of scouts approached the soon-to-be-King-of-Auradon with a bruised blonde girl who can't seem to move her legs.

"The scouts found her by the shore of Auradon Bay, hurt and alone" said Fairy God Mother. "Ben, she can't walk."

"What's your name?" Ben asked the girl.

"Eleanor," she answered weakly.

"What happened to you?" asked Ben.

"I was a prisoner in Auradon. I managed to escape, but I could only get so far on a wheelchair. I was attacked. I was lucky one of the attackers had a vanishing potion. I stole it trying to fight for my life, but I had to leave my wheelchair behind," said Eleanor. "Thank you, Fairy God Mother."

"Hey, it's okay. You're in a safe place now," said Fairy God Mother.

"So, this is where all the heroes have disappeared to? The resistance, huh?" asked Eleanor.

"It's not right for us to just let the world fall into darkness. So long as there's good, the good have to step up and stand against the evil," said Ben.

"I've only just met you, your highness, but I can tell you have a king's mindset for sure," said Eleanor, playing along as if she doesn't know him.

"Fairy God Mother, please get her a blanket and fix her up a wheelchair," Ben said.

"Already ahead of you," said Fairy God Mother. "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo!"

Fairy God Mother poofs up a wheelchair. Ben and Lonnie help Eleanor sit down on said wheelchair. She rolls it back and forth a little to test its mobility. It was made by magic, so obviously it moves just fine. She even did some playful spinning, which brought a smile on everyone's faces.

"I can't thank you enough," Eleanor said happily.

"You can thank me by getting some rest. You need it," said Ben. "Tomorrow is gonna be a brighter tomorrow, I promise."

"Am I sensing a plan?" Fairy God Mother guessed.

"We'll brief you on everything we've come up with so far," said Ben. "Carlos, please find Eleanor a place to sleep."

Carlos grabs hold of Eleanor's wheelchair and takes her back to where the sleeping folks are. As Carlos pushed and steered, Eleanor stared an awfully long time at the potion station.

One person who was suspicious of her was watching from the shadows. Mal. Being the most powerful magical being in the world, she can escape any cage created by Fairy God Mother. But she had to hide in the shadows to keep herself from being seen. She just wanted to eavesdrop on Ben and the rest to know what they're up to. Then Eleanor showed up, much to Mal's surprise. Mal snaps her fingers and returns to her cell before anyone finds out the she's escaped.

* * *

Ben was checking on the Auradon map, marking out the places where the resistance will attack tomorrow. The others have gone to sleep, but he wanted to stay up a little longer and make sure everything is thought to the deepest detail. This had to be done right if the good guys are to finally regain their freedom and free Auradon from the villains' reign.

The one person who wasn't asleep rolled towards him on a wheelchair.

"Can't sleep, your highness?" asked Eleanor.

"Eleanor? What are you doing still up?" Ben replied, shocked to see her. "You should be resting. Recovering."

"I know, but then I heard your friends talking about this attack plan of yours," said Eleanor. "I just came here to tell you that this is too risky. You can't put all your chips that Mal alone can help you win this."

"That's why I'm still awake. I have to make sure this doesn't fail," said Ben. "War is about risks, Eleanor. We've lost too many good people who have taken risks, but we're not gonna stop until we free Auradon from darkness."

"Determination and hopefulness. I like it," Eleanor responded.

"Maybe I need a breather," Ben admitted. After sitting down, he asks, "What about you, Eleanor? What's your story?"

"I really don't want to talk about it," said Eleanor. "But if I must... long story short, my mother abandoned me when I was little and I lost my legs due to a car crash."

"I'm very sorry," Ben said sympathetically. "How did you escape?"

"Just lucky, I guess," said Eleanor. "I'm really sorry about your parents, your highness. They were such great heroes, and I'm pretty sure they were great parents to raise someone so brave and good."

"I don't know if I would even call myself good," Ben said as he hanged his head. "This war... it's changed me. I grew out of my innocence real fast and became someone who has to be willing to do ugly things to win. I'm sure you probably heard about my plan of ending both Maleficent and her daughter when we secure our victory. I know I should be disgusted with myself, but I have to do what's best for my people."

"It's called life, your highness. We can't avoid it," said Eleanor.

"Please, call me Ben," said Ben.

"If you wish, Ben," Eleanor complied. "Just promise me one thing. Listen to your heart."

Eleanor rolls away while Ben's eyes widened from those words. These were the exact same words his mother used to tell him all the time. Sure, it may be a common lesson, but something in him sparked just hearing those words coming from Eleanor. It's as if... he knows her. But how? He's never met her until tonight.

* * *

Mal sat in her cell fiddling with her magic. Since everyone was asleep, including Ben, no one would see her doing this. Just a few purple sparkles that twinkle like stars since, even if she's not "locked up" in this cell, there are no more stars she can look at above in the sky. Just a black void with storm clouds and a moon that changes shape depending on the time of the month/year. The sparkles are not enough to give Mal the same feeling when she's stargazing, but it was enough to help make self-reflection a little easier.

Ben. A kindhearted, honorable young man in the old world is now a strong-willed but broken warrior who was willing to pursue vengeance.

Evie. Narcissistic to no end and about to marry a thief all because he's a prince.

Jay. A thief once again and strangely planning on settling down with a princess.

Carlos. Same old abusive-mother story, same old villain-turned-hero story, but now a skilled archer.

Audrey. Her feelings for Ben are definitely pure this time, unlike in the old reality where it was just infatuation.

Chad. Same old Chad, only slightly more tough-minded than before.

Lonnie. Gone from sweet and caring to temperamental and dangerously incautious.

Jane. Well, not much has changed, really.

Uma. New World Mal's BFF.

Harry. New World Mal's lover (cue mental _blech_ from Mal).

Gil. From idiotic blockhead to a genius brainiac.

Maleficent. A proud mother of a sadistic, malevolent child she doesn't know is not the child she raised to be bad.

Mal closed her hands and extinguished the sparkles with flames when she sensed someone approaching her cell. It was Carlos. He still wore his black-red-and-white archer suit. _Don't they have pajamas down here_ , Mal wondered. She also noticed he was hiding something behind his back.

"Anxious for tomorrow?" Mal guessed.

"Very," said Carlos. "But what will happen tomorrow can't happen if you're not here."

"What do you mean?" asked Mal.

Carlos holds up a rusty silver chain that looks suspiciously familiar. It was the chain that Jay tried to steal from Mal.

"You dropped this," said Carlos.

"Well, my bad," Mal replied.

"You can just get out of here anytime you want, can you?" asked Carlos.

"Nothing can keep me locked up. Long story, but it's true. I mean, this force field is created by Fairy God Mother, who is supposed to be the most powerful magic user in the world," said Mal.

"But what if it seemed like a breakout?" Carlos said. He then revealed that he was holding Fairy God Mother's wand.

"Ben will lock you in here if he finds out," said Mal.

"I know," said Carlos. "But he's not thinking clearly. I mean, he hasn't completely lost it, but he's blinded by vengeance. I can't let his plan go on."

"You're risking your place here and your relationship with CJ with this gamble," said Mal. "What makes you so sure you can trust me to be free?"

"What makes you so sure you can trust me to trust you?" Carlos replied. "I don't know why, Mal, but something tells me you're more than what you seem. Besides, Fairy God Mother gave me a magical check up earlier and there were no signs of hypnotism. What I think about you, it's all me."

"And what if I tell my mother where you are?" Mal asked, wanting to be sure that Carlos is certain with this bold act.

"CJ and I changed. Why can't you?" Carlos answered.

"True," Mal agreed.

Carlos throws the wand right through the force field and into Mal's hand. She sets the wand down and then walks out of the cell like a ghost. It would make it look like Mal somehow stole Fairy God Mother's wand and escaped from inside the cell.

"Thanks," said Mal.

"You don't have to. You said you could escape anytime," said Carlos.

"I mean for trusting me," said Mal. "A little trust is all I ask for."

"Then... you're welcome," said Carlos.

To Carlos' surprise, Mal plants a kiss on his cheek. This kiss, however, triggered something in his mind. Images he's never seen before but they looked and felt real. The first image he saw of Mal kissing him on the forehead while he slept. The second image was of the two of them having an intimate moment just sitting on the grass next to each other. The third images was of him, Mal, Evie, and Jay having a "girl talk" and Mal had this anomalous but subtly thankful expression on her face that was directed at him.

Mal's lips left his cheek as she vanished, leaving the white-haired archer wondering what he just saw.

* * *

At dawn, Ben woke up and decided to check on his prisoner. Unfortunately, the cell was empty. Fairy God Mother's wand lied inside, but the force field was still active. Ben was confused, but one thing was certain. Mal has escaped. Audrey, Chad, Lonnie, and Jordan approach him to talk to him about the plan, only to see for themselves that there was no one in the cell.

"NOOOOO!" Ben shouted with beastly rage. He even punched one of the bars, startling his friends. "How? How did this happen?"

 **Great. Ben's angry. Not a good sign.**

 **So, what did Carlos just see? And why is he seeing it? Well, all you can do is theorize while I write the next chapter. This story is far from over. But it's not about how it will be over. It's about the path that leads to it being over.**


	7. Who Is In Control?

**I know I said that the first five (or six) chapters were the introduction to the story, but I feel like there's still a few more things I have to put on the table. But I also want to move forward with the plot. So, I'm doing both here. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, TheGreatGodzilla, CarvieCamfia2, xez2003**

Mal spent the night at Dragon Point. It has been a reoccurring theme in her life to always rely on special places for solace. It may be the opposite of therapeutic, but Mal has never been one to make herself feel better through conventional means. Dragon Point is one of the places where Mal feels like she can be one with the world without losing herself. Plus, this spot is called Dragon's Point for a reason. Mal is part-dragon. The name itself draws Mal in someway.

"Now, let's see what the big deal is about this place," she said.

By "this place," she doesn't meant Dragon Point. She meant the kingdom closest to Dragon Point. Auroria. Although, it's not called Auroria anymore, obviously. And it's not so much a kingdom now, much less a valley.

Mal Valley.

Yup, that's right. The Auroria of the new world has been named after the daughter of Maleficent. The place looked like a major catastrophic event took place and decimated a huge chunk of the kingdom until it looked like a valley. Mal did her research during her month-long self-imprisonment in her room. When the villains invaded Auroria, Maleficent turned into a dragon and laid waste to the entire area. Thousands of people, countless buildings, and the flora were all burned to the ground until Auroria was reduced to a valley. Maleficent named it after her daughter.

The valley started out as a place for adolescent villains to spend time at to get away from their parents. When Mal reached adolescence, she decided to run the place. While she still allowed freedom of action, she made a few changes to the valley. For one thing, she had her own personal night club that was built near the edge of a cliff. She called it "Inferno."

That's where she decided to go into right now.

Since it was morning, the place was empty, but she didn't really need the company right now. She just wanted to explore this new world and some alone time will help her adjust. She just wishes that Carlos could come with her. He's currently the one she trusts the most in this new world. But thanks to CJ and the Merry Men, now Carlos has to stay with the resistance and away from her.

The place seemed pretty neat. In a dark and bleak kingdom like (new world) Auradon, Inferno looked like paradise in comparison. It's like a neon lights club except that most everything is purple. _Typical me_ , she thought. All kinds of drinks that can keep an entire pirate crew happy going all night can be found in the many shelves around the large party area. Mal stands behind the counter like a bartender and pours herself a glass of strawberry cider. It's been a long time since she had a sip of this stuff. After drinking every single drop in the glass, she sighs with satisfaction.

"I forgot how much I missed this stuff," said Mal.

Then Mal sensed something. Someone was inside the club with her. Pretending that she doesn't know, she closes the bottle and puts it back on the shelf. As she released the bottle, she quickly turns around and casts a spell. Telekinetically, she pulls out a certain someone from the shadows. This certain someone also happens to be a under a freeze spell, preventing him from moving a muscle or saying a word.

Jay.

"You gotta do a better job at sneaking up one me," said Mal.

Mal snaps her fingers and creates a little fire-themed firework show to scare everyone else inside out of hiding. Jumping down from the second level balcony are Freddie, Ginny, and Yzla. Coming out from behind tables are Claudine, Hadie, and Mad Maddy. All the members of Mal's gang, "The Dragons," are here.

"How do you do that?" asked Ginny. "You take the fun out of sneaking up on someone."

"That's my little secret," said Mal.

Mal finds it funny that she is the only magical being who has the ability to sense magic through pure instinct. Others need to cast a spell to sense magic within others. It's no wonder why Fairy God Mother never knew the truth about Eleanor.

"What do you guys want?" asked Mal.

"Your mother said you were missing, that you were kidnapped by the resistance. She ordered everyone in the kingdom to look for you," said Jay.

"And if we just sit on our butts, she'll, and I quote, cast a curse upon us that will haunt our nightmares for the rest of our lives. And no one wants to suffer her wrath," said Freddie.

"So, we thought we'd search for you here in your own valley," said Hadie. "This place is big, after all. Who knows? Maybe there's a place here the resistance can use as a secret hideout..."

"But there was none," said Mad Maddy.

"We spent the night here and we were just about to look somewhere else, but then you showed up," said Claudine.

"Captured by heroes, huh, Mal? Did your month-long isolation make you lose your touch?" Mad Maddy mocked playfully.

Mal responds to this insult by crushing the glass in her hands and then magically glues Maddy to the wall. Mal then started magically pushing Maddy into the wall like it was made of a combination of clay and quicksand, threatening to push her all the way in until she nothing but a piece of art. Mal can't deny that this felt good. It was Mad Maddy she was trying to hurt, after all. Maddy tried to break free, but then mentally slapped herself since she knows her magic can't rival Mal's.

"Okay, I give. I give," Maddy surrendered.

Mal smirks and then pulls Maddy out of the wall.

"Still think I've lost my touch?" Mal asked.

"Then how were you captured by the resistance?" asked Jay. "Did they ambush you in your sleep or something? 'Cause if I remember right, you can still sense people sneaking up on you even when you're asleep."

"My capture is anything but a sign of weakness. I have my reasons for allowing myself to be taken in," said Mal.

"Ooh, let me guess. You were trying to discover the location of their sanctuary?" Yzla guessed.

Mal's little shrug seemed like a confirmation of that guess.

"But if that's the case, then why haven't you told your mother yet?" asked Freddie. "This is big, Mal. We've been searching for the resistance for 16 years."

"And they will be taken care of," Mal said, resuming her little act. "But not yet."

"Oh, so this is another one of your little games, huh?" Maddy wondered.

"Hey, I'm all in for games, but this is war, Mal," Claudine said judgmentally. "Unless the last of resistance is wiped out, they continue to threaten our reign, not that they're much of a threat. But still, your love for playing twisted mind games with your allies and enemies will lead to anything but positive outcomes for us..."

"It is handled, Claudine," Mal insisted, her exasperation of Claudine's judgmental tendencies showing in her tone. "Trust me, it is better if the resistance remains untouched for now. Besides, now that they know that I know where they are, they'll be in a state of panic. They'll be either reinforcing their hideout, risking exposure, or move someplace else."

"I don't think 16 years of searching is gonna do them any favors in the hide-and-seek department," said Jay. "They might as well just serve themselves to you mom on a silver platter."

"And I'll be there to burn them alive until they're nothing but dust beneath my feet. I'll make sure to do it slowly so they can feel every second of their skin burning off their bones," Mal said darkly.

"Ooh, I think I got the chills," Jay said jokingly, although he truly did feel kinda terrified of the way Mal said those words but won't admit it.

"So, you want us to keep our traps shut?" asked Hadie.

"Or I'll weld them shut for you," Mal said threateningly, adding a burning fist to the message.

Hadie raises his hands and steps back a little, understanding the message very clearly.

"But enough about the resistance," said Mal. "I believe I owed you guys a party."

"Yeah, you missed out on our shindig at Eden last month," said Jay.

"Honestly, it was boring without you," said Freddie. "I mean, where's the fire? None of us could bring it."

"Well, in that case," said Mal.

Mal snaps her fingers and turns on the lights and music. Wicked music with evil tunes boomed through the club's speakers as Mal started pouring drinks for her "friends." Freddie and Yzla jump on tables and started rocking out while the rest did the same on the floor. Ginny ended up accidentally hitting Claudine, but the two just turned it into a dance fight with chair legs as swords. Jay decided to get wild and starting jumping from one table to another, doing some flips.

Mal sneaks in a spilled glass of cider on a table, causing Jay to slip on it and land on his back. He was okay, but everyone started laughing at him.

Mal downs her fifth glass of strawberry cider and starts lighting the place on fire as she danced. No one minded, just as long as she wasn't trying to burn them alive. They just used the drinks to extinguish the fire. Another strange thing about Mal is that she can determine which of her flames can be extinguished naturally and which ones are immune to liquid. In the end, Jay and Freddie showered Mal with strawberry cider. She punched them both in the shoulders for it, but in a friendly manner.

Just like with Uma, it was hard for Mal to pretend to be good friends with Mad Maddy, considering their relationship in the old world. Mad Maddy betrayed Mal and left her to die in a lake full of crocodiles, and Mad Maddy became the first life that Mal took with her own two hands. Let's just say when Maddy pulled her in for a friendly side hug, Mal was tempted to burn her with a single touch. Still, when Maddy poured Mal a drink, Mal had to accept it and raise a toast with her for the sake of keeping her secret.

"Hey, what's say we let my mother know I'm fine?" Mal said.

Mal takes out her phone as everyone gathers around her. She was gonna take a selfie with her entire gang.

"Say, long live evil," said Mal.

"Long Live Evil!"

Mal snaps the picture and then immediately posts it on the internet. That way, someone can inform Maleficent about this and get her to call off the kingdom-wide search. Mal doesn't know what the resistance will do given that she is aware of their location, but if the resistance attempts to leave their hiding spot for important reasons, she can't have patrols spotting them.

"Hey, Mal," Freddie called. She takes out her magical playing cards and says, "Remember this?"

Jay, Ginny, Claudine, Yzla, Mad Maddy, and Hadie throw bottles of root beer up in the air. Mal fires multiple fireballs at them at the same time Freddie threw her playing cards. The resulting explosion showered The Dragons with root beer, soaking their hair and clothes.

They just laughed and danced.

"The Queen of the VKs is back!" Jay cheered.

Everyone crowds Mal as they cheer for her. They feared her one month in isolation has softened her or something, but the way she threatened Maddy and how she livened up this party quickly shows that she's still the Mal they know and love and fear.

It just wasn't the real Mal, though. But Mal had no intention of letting them know that... not yet.

As went up the stairs and watched her fellow "Dragons" party, she smirked and thought about what she could do with them now that she's close to ready to play her new game.

"Oh, the games have now just begun," she said in a sinister way.

She wipes some root beer off her cheek and sucks it off her fingers, relishing in the _taste_ of being in control. Her mother may control the lands, but Mal controls everyone.

* * *

Mal decided it's time to go home. She would rather scheme somewhere she can be alone, but she doesn't want her mother to be suspicious... as if being captured by the resistance ins't suspicious enough. But Mal is confident that she will be able to keep her mother unaware. One thing Mal was sure about is that her mother's view would change slightly because of this, as one would say it, unfortunate incident. One thing's for sure, the fear in the eyes of the goblins and knuckleheads were not because of Mal but because they were bracing themselves for another tantrum from Maleficent.

"If you're all so scared of my mom, why are you still here?" Mal wondered quietly.

Mal walks into the throne room where Maleficent sat on her throne. Her eyes were closed and she petted Diablo. Mal can tell that her mom's hand was shaking as she held her scepter, only because she was losing her temper.

"Hi, mom," Mal greeted her casually. "I'm back."

"And how was your trip?" Maleficent asked, trying to sound calm.

"Mom, I know that you sent Diablo to spy on me. That's how you found out about my capture," said Mal. "You really think you can keep an eye on me without my knowing?"

"Well, I tried," Maleficent said sarcastically.

"You're disappointed, aren't you?" Mal guessed.

Maleficent gets off her throne and approaches her daughter, saying, "Oh, I should be. I mean, I raised you to be the baddest, to strike fear into the hearts of any friend or foe. To hear you be kidnapped by those pathetic heroes, oh, I would have called you a disgrace of a daughter..."

"But?" Mal asked curiously.

"But then I thought, you're better than that," Maleficent continued. "And I know exactly what is going on here?"

"Really?" Mal asked, raising her eyebrow. "What do you think is going on here then?"

"You were trying to get inside of their heads and and their secret hearquarnerbs," said Maleficent.

"It's pronounced _headquarters_ , mom," Mal corrected. "Seriously, stop trying to talk like a millennial. It's embarrassing."

"And considering you came back here all spick and span, I assume you took care of business," Maleficent assumed.

"The resistance still lives, mother," said Mal.

"What?!" Maleficent exclaimed.

"They locked me up and I just left while they slept. No traps. No curses. Nothing," said Mal.

"Bu-bu-bu... why?" Maleficent asked, baffled.

"You know me, mom. I don't do things without a little showmanship," said Mal. "The resistance will meet their end, but not yet."

"You had the opportunity to end it and you just... walked away?" Maleficent questioned angrily.

"You want to be disappointed in me, that's fine," Mal said apathetically. "But you're not getting anything out of me."

"You're protecting them?!" Maleficent accused.

"I'm not protecting anyone, except for maybe our legacy," said Mal. "The resistance thinks I'll reveal their location. What they do next, I'll just let it play out."

"You're toying with war, Mal," said Maleficent.

"It's not like the resistance can really do anything. They're outnumbered and in over their heads," said Mal.

"Okay, I suppose that's true," said Maleficent. "But we will never truly be victorious until there is no resistance out there defying us."

"If we're lucky, they'll walk up to our front door and beg for mercy," Mal joked.

"Don't you dare do this to me, young lady," Maleficent scolded. "5 years. 5 years of hard-fought war. That's how long it took for us to be where we are. Yet, those heroes still insist on fighting us. Maybe our victory is assured, but eliminating every last one of them is our top priority. You have the key to their doom, but you withhold it from your own mother."

"Well, consider it self-training for when I rule this land," said Mal. "The resistance is more than what they appear. Trust me. I have seen it. If I had just killed all of them last night, then it means nothing. The end of a revolution, is that what you're aiming for mom? I'm aiming for something bigger. I want to use the resistance's demise as an example for my rule. If you don't like it, then we can settle this right here, right now."

Maleficent slammed her scepter down hard, creating a loud sound that echoed across the room, startling Diablo in the process. Mal, however, didn't even blink.

Maleficent unleashes her evil stare to get her daughter to force her to give up the resistance's location. Mal uses the same evil stare to combat her mother's. It's been a long-running thing between them. When Mal is being rebellious, Maleficent would use the stare to get her to submit. In this new world, Mal has never won. Maleficent always won. But now...

Maleficent's facial expression changed due to how weaker and weaker she was feeling after every second. Mal smirks as she watches her mother bend down on her knees. As Maleficent continues to fight, she started seeing a strange picture in her mind.

She was a dragon engaging in an evil staring contest with Mal at Auradon Cathedral. Mal wins and Maleficent sees herself transforming into a lizard.

In the end, Maleficent gives in and collapses, overwhelmed by her own daughter's evil stare and the strange images she saw. This was a new feeling for this world's Maleficent.

"H... H... How?" Maleficent wondered. "Since when can you beat me at this game?"

"Since now, apparently," Mal answered ambiguously.

Mal departs from the room with a smug look on her face.

Maleficent gets up slowly and walks back to her throne to recover from the feeling of weakness that she suffered from the staring contest. What she just saw was odd, yet it felt real. But how can that be, she wondered. It can't be real. That moment never happened. And why was every Auradonian in the cathedral frozen? Why was her daughter standing against her?

Maleficent is beyond confused.

 **First, Carlos sees memories from the old world. Now, it's Maleficent. But let's not think too big about this. I didn't write this new world just to throw it away so quickly. I've been planning this for a long time and I want to make it worth writing/reading.**

 **So, what do you think?**


	8. The Angel on Your Shoulder

**Okay, so the first seven chapters of exploration are done. Mal thinks she's ready to start pulling strings like a puppetmaster. Let's begin. Enjoy. Pardon me if I'm updating my story slower than usual. I mean, I have stuff in real life I have to do, but also, this story is a lot more complicated to plan out than I thought.**

 **Anyways, enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, CarvieCamfia2, Mustang52, xez2003**

Many months ago, back in the old world, Mal put up a secret bulletin board that would help her identify the person who convinced Ben to temporarily dismiss her banishment and give her a chance to complete her Senior Year education at Auradon Prep. Right now, Mal is putting up another bulletin board. A magical one, this time. Hanging on the wall and enchanted to be invisible to everyone's eyes, except to Mal. To be extra careful, Mal had a secret vault behind the portrait of her and her mother where she can keep the bulletin board. Can't be too careful, she thought.

Mal had pictures of her old friends and enemies taped to the board and categorized them based on their allegiances. She even put sticky notes to remind herself of what she should focus on... or if she just had a side comment she wanted to write.

It has been a week since Mal had decided that it was time for her to play puppetmaster. First, she needed a plan. That's what the bulletin board is for. Select her primary targets and decide what to do with them. She soon realized that planning all this out isn't easy, but since she's in a whole new world, time is on her side. For once, she can exercise patience.

First, she thinks about the resistance.

 _"Okay, let's review. Benjamin Florian, a determined young lad who is more like his father in this world than before... but still as cute as ever. Audrey, truly in love with my old beau... did the word beau just pop in my head? Chad, well, he's loyal to Ben and his friends so that's useful. Lonnie, well, best not to talk about her parents since she's so sensitive about it. Carlos, oh Carlos, I wish I can tell you the whole truth. CJ, she's not crazy anymore so it's gonna be harder to handle her. Jane, Scarlet, and the rest, just like Chad, can be influenced through their loyalty to Ben. One thing's for sure, Ben is who I have to prioritize regarding the resistance. If I want them on my side, I have to convince Ben that I'm not the Mal of this world. Gonna be hard though, but I always love a challenge."_

Next, she turns her attention to her little gang called, The Dragons.

 _"They're a fun bunch... if I was truly the Mal of this new reality. But I'm not. I can't lie that I don't feel like I'm having fun around them, but despite all the transformations and evolution I've gone through, being evil is the past. I'm just rotten to the core. And no, it's not a same difference type of thing. I wish someone would understand that someday. Even now, I remain misunderstood. But back to The Dragons, persuading them to see the error of their ways is near impossible, so the best course of action is to mingle with them until I get lucky. I have to be sure I focus on Jay the most out of this bunch."_

Mal then looks at the other pictures categorized under "Enemies," just to remind herself who these people really are to her.

 _"I can't believe it hurts me putting my mom in my enemies list. But I'm not so immersed with this world that I would blind myself into believing I'm the perfect daughter. I just pretend to be to keep her from getting suspicious. I already told her that I'm keeping the resistance's location a secret to myself and she's not happy about it. Better not let it escalate from there until the time is right. But on to the rest... Uma, my brand new BFF. She's still as mean as ever, but she's quite nice around me and seems sort of supportive of my relationship with Harry. Speaking of Harry, I still gotta find a good reason to dump him without drawing suspicion. Cider-influenced Mal may be attracted to him, but clearheaded Mal is not. And speaking of cider, note to self, one glass a day if you're not gonna stop."_

"Okay, first things first, talk to mom," Mal said to herself.

"Or you can talk to me."

Mal sighs, annoyed, as she turns her head around to see the person associated with that familiar voice. Just sitting there on her wheelchair on her balcony is Eleanor.

"You invasive little brat," Mal snarled. "Aren't you supposed to be keeping an eye on Ben, like you claim is your job to do?"

"As far as he knows, I'm just taking a look around the catacombs," said Eleanor.

"How did you even get here?" asked Mal. She then realized something. "Oh, wait, don't tell me. You used the potion station, didn't you?"

Eleanor shows Mal a vial filled with vanishing liquid.

"I'm stuck on this wheelchair, remember? I needed some way to get around without my magic," said Eleanor.

"I must say, you put on quite the performance back on the Isle. You almost had me fooled," said Mal.

"Or you're so certain my act was an act that you failed to see that I was being truthful," Eleanor said with sorrow. "Mal, I can't walk anymore, remember? I really did get jumped by some rotten kids. You have no idea how I felt at that moment. Helpless, hurt, and alone. I was lucky to even steal a vanishing potion from that one kid."

"Well, I guess now you really know what it's like to feel mortal," Mal said rather mockingly. "How does it feel?"

"Like I would rather lay down half-dead on the grass and wait for my mother to pick me up," Eleanor replied.

"Where is your mother?" asked Mal.

"As far as I know, she's unaffected by the change in reality," said Eleanor. "She's all about balance, so she must've sat out the war in this new world."

"But the world is out of balance. The villains won. The heroes are in hiding. I mean, I'm kinda glad your mother isn't around, but I always wonder where she is in all this," said Mal.

"I guess she's probably counting on me to fix this," said Eleanor.

"Or she's decided that she's had enough of everyone's screw-ups and left everyone, including his precious paralyzed daughter, all alone," Mal said.

"My mom loves me, Mal," said Eleanor. "She's just not a master at being a mother, that's all."

"How can you be sure your mother isn't dead, Eleanor?" Mal theorized. "If she truly cared about you, she would've come for you the minute I created this new world. But she hasn't. If she really understood the responsibilities of being a mother, then she would try to intervene. This isn't about some self-indulging _beastly_ prince. This is about the fate of the world."

"I... I don't know, Mal," said Eleanor. "But I know my mom is counting on me."

"Sure, believe that," Mal said dismissively.

"Are you sure playing god with these people's lives is gonna make you happy?" Eleanor questioned. "I can see you anytime, anywhere, remember?"

"I'm merely trying to improve things around here... in my own way. I'm gonna rule all this one day and I want everything to be perfect," said Mal.

"If you're trying to make things right, then we should help each other," said Eleanor. "We've been fighting each other since you started suspecting me. There is no better time than for us to be allies."

Mal suddenly started cackling as if Eleanor's words were a joke that made her laugh.

"You are such a sap, Eleo. If blondes were this blonde, you're the definitive blonde," Mal insulted.

"What do I have to do to get you to be friends with me?" asked Eleanor. "I saved Ben for you. Isn't that enough?"

"It should be, but it's not," said Mal. "Look, Eleo, I know you mean well. But if you keep insisting on being the little angel in my shoulder telling what's right, then you really don't know how to get on my good side."

"So, what, are you gonna keep listening to that devil on your other shoulder?" Eleanor questioned.

"There is no angel or devil on my shoulders. It's just me and my decisions. _My_ free will. Mine," said Mal.

"And that's what scares me," said Eleanor. "We all need to use our free will, Mal, but sometimes we need others to help influence our choices for the better of others."

"Did you learn that from your mother or Ben? Or both?" Mal replied.

"You know what, Mal, I think I will let you entertain yourself for a while," Eleanor decided. "But if things escalate to levels I don't want to see them escalate to, I'm gonna intervene, magic or no magic."

"If you weren't technically Ben's adoptive sister, you could've been a great queen," Mal joked.

Eleanor rolls her eyes before turning around and heading back to the balcony outside Mal's room.

"There's a reason we have angels on our shoulders, Mal," said Eleanor. "You may think you more than capable of making your own choices, but it's much more complicated than that."

"Believe me. I understand complicated," said Mal.

"You're right. You do," Eleanor said, definitely not disagreeing with her. "You just make the context behind the word blurry."

Eleanor uses the vanishing potion to teleport back to the catacombs on the Isle of the Lost.

* * *

First on Mal's list... convince her mother that she is acting on the kingdom's best interest. The last thing she needs is her mother feeling like she should be keeping an eye on her daughter 24/7. Mal needs her freedom to roam Auradon and do what she wants. She wasn't in the throne room, however, or the dining room or the top floor balcony. No, Maleficent was in her quarters, just staring out the window with Diablo.

"Mom," Mal called as she entered.

"Diablo, leave us," Maleficent ordered.

Diablo flies out the window so his mistress can have a moment alone with her daughter.

"I understand my refusal to divulge the location of the resistance has made you quite bitter and distant towards me," Mal said calmly. "But I want you to know that this has nothing to do with me defying you. I just want..."

Maleficent raises her hand, silencing Mal. She turns around and looks at Mal with a stoic expression on her evil face.

"You have become quite the mystery, Mal," said Maleficent.

"Well, thank you for noticing," Mal said, flattered.

"When you told me that you wanted the resistance to be left alone, I was truly angry with you," Maleficent continued.

"No kidding," Mal commented sarcastically.

"But then I thought about when you beat me in our little staring game," said Maleficent. "It got me thinking... you're more powerful than before."

"Get to the point, mother," Mal said, tired of the small talk.

"I raised you to be feared, respected, despised, but most of all, feared," said Maleficent. "I trained you how to use your magic since you first accidentally burned a goblin when you were just a baby. I knew your power could rival mine, but I never thought it would surpass mine."

"What did you think I've been doing during my month-long personal lockup?" Mal responded.

"And then I realized that this is not a bad thing at all," Maleficent said with a smile. "I always think highly of myself because I more than live up to my reputation as the worst of the worst. But now, my own daughter, with power beyond anything I could imagine. Think of how afraid both heroes and villains will be of you, my dear."

"Well, that's the idea," said Mal.

"Tell you what, Mal. I'll officially put you in charge of the resistance mess, but only if you share the important details of your plan to me before you plan some sort of attack against them," said Maleficent.

"Depends on the details," Mal muttered. "Well, I can't make any promises, but I will let you in when I'm ready."

"That's all I ask, Mal," said Maleficent. "And I suppose you do have a point. You want everyone to see you burn the resistance to ash with their eyes, not their ears. You destroy them in front of our people, they will more than fear you. They will be horrified, terrified, their hearts will be stricken with so much fear that no one will question you... just like me."

"Only worse," Mal smirked.

"Don't be too confident, Mal. I'm still the evilest of them all," said Maleficent.

"Only one of us can carry the title, mom, and your time of carrying it is coming to an end," Mal said confidently.

"Then prove to me just how bad you are," said Maleficent. "Who's my nasty little girl?"

"I am," Mal said sarcastically through her teeth.

Maleficent pats Mal on the top of her head before walking off with a smile on her face. Mal couldn't help but feel that something is off about her mother. She seemed to forgiving of her insolence and disobedience. Maleficent is anything but forgiving. It's one of the things that the mother passed down to the daughter. Even when she's good, Mal's always the unforgiving type. I mean, sure, one week is a lot of time to think, but for Maleficent, this is still weird, especially for Mal.

"Oh, by the way, we have to depart for Grimsmouth tomorrow morning. Evil Queen's little brat is getting married in three weeks and she wants us to ensure her kingdom is resistance-free by then," said Maleficent.

"Well, someone's overreacting," Mal commented insultingly. "Anywho, I'll be in my room. Don't bother me."

"Oh, Mal, you've been using that lie since your were 8. I know you love sneaking off to do whatever you want," said Maleficent. "But you're almost a grown woman, so go on ahead. Shoo. Scram. Go do whatever the hell you millennials like to do. Make phone calls. Play stupid games. Gossip with other girls about boys and stuff."

"Well, don't count on me to be looking for a man, mom. I wanna rule this kingdom on my own," said Mal.

"Still remember my lesson on love is weakness, huh? I cannot be any more prouder of you," Maleficent said, pinching her daughter's nose.

"Okay, if you don't stop, you're gonna get a magical headache," Mal threatened, swatting her mother's fingers off her nose.

"Threatening your mother? I guess I was wrong. I can be more prouder," said Maleficent. "Just don't push it."

* * *

Back in the Catacombs of Doom on the Isle, Ben was cleaning a normal sword that he plans to take into the field. He was saving the Sword of Truth for Maleficent herself, so until he faces her in battle, he's gonna have to settle for a regular sword. But just in case, he keeps two scabbards on his belt. You never know, as the saying goes. He was still furious about Mal's escape last night and he intends on acting upon it before something bad happens to his people.

"Ben," Audrey called as she approached him. "Lonnie and the others ready."

"Good," said Ben.

"Are you sure you wanna do this, Ben?" Audrey asked, concerned.

"Maleficent's daughter knows where we are. We have to make sure that no one finds us," said Ben. "And if they do find us, we have to find a new place for our people."

"This is the only place where we can hide our people, Ben," said Audrey. "There's no other place. We've been looking for hiding places for 16 years and they find us all the time. There's nowhere else to go."

"Maybe, Audrey, but I can't just sit here and give up," said Ben. "I know our chances of winning this war are close to nonexistent for 16 years, but I am not giving up. I am never gonna give up "

"And that's a big reason why I love you," said Audrey. "But you can be so stubborn sometimes."

"I get that from my father," said Ben.

"But stubbornness and resilience are never a good combination," said Audrey. "My father was so confident he could best Maleficent again, it got him and my mom killed. I don't want to lose you too."

Ben kisses Audrey on the cheek and says, "You're never gonna lose me."

"Then I'm coming with you and the others," said Audrey. "Jane and Ally can take care of everyone down here. You taught me to fight and I might as well use those lessons today."

"I'd tell you no, but then you'd just persist," said Ben. "Okay."

Ben decided to check on the rest of his friends. Lonnie seemed eager to get out there because she's practicing with her sword, slashing the air as if there was an enemy right in front of her. The loss of her parents made Lonnie cold and ruthless, and despite Ben's anger and aggression these days, he was not a big fan of Lonnie's new personality. It's war, true, but they cannot afford to be just like the villains, no matter how many lines they crossed.

"Maybe you should sit this one out," Ben suggested.

"Oh, no. No way I'm staying here just because you think I'm a danger to myself and others," said Lonnie. "You need all the warriors you can get out there, Ben. And I'm one of your best, if not your best."

"Lonnie, I know I'm the last person to talk to you about aggression, but you can't lose yourself just because you're angry," said Ben. "I never lost sight of what's important, no matter how strong my desire for payback is."

"Ben, you honestly think I forgot who I was?" Lonnie questioned. "I know who I once was, Ben. Despite spending my entire childhood hiding from the villains, I always thought positive and thought of others first. I know I was what you would call a bundle of joy or a ray of sunshine or whatever. But time's have changed. I have changed."

"And so have we all, but you can't forget who you really are inside," said Ben. "A war is not worth fighting is we lose ourselves. I know now we have to do whatever it takes to win, no matter how ugly it is. The first time I had to take a life, one of Maleficent's Knuckleheads, I hated it, but I knew it was necessary to save myself. But we can't sell our souls so willingly."

Lonnie sheathes her sword, takes a deep breath, and says, "No promises, but I will do as you ask of me. You're our king."

Carlos watched and listened to Ben talk to the others about their next move. They're going to venture out of the Catacombs and into the villain-infested Auradon to find more hiding places for their people since they believe Mal will tell everyone where they are. Carlos knew better. Ben may still have a good heart, but when he sees Mal or Maleficent, his beastly rage will consume him and he might do something he will regret. The anger he showed when he discovered that Mal escaped, it scared Carlos. He knew he had to do something.

He had to go and see Mal.

 **Time for a confession. Carlos' role in this story was a last-second thought on my part. Originally, Eleanor was supposed to be the unlikely ally for Mal, or maybe even Ben (being Mal's true love and all), but I chose to give the role to Carlos because I wanted to give him more of a story besides just the archer with hi-tech arrows. Jay and Evie have this (gross) romance and upcoming wedding going on, and I didn't want the last one of the Rotten Four - Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos - to be left out of a big part.**

 **So, what do you think?**


	9. A Reluctant Ally

**Previously on Descendants... Carlos plans to tell Mal about what Ben and the resistance are gonna do next. How will that work out? Read, find out, and enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, CarvieCamfia2, danifan3000, TheGreatGodzilla, Mustang52, xez2003**

 ** _To TheGreatGodzilla_: Maybe I should've chosen "Insurgency" as the name of Ben's group, but I'm gonna stick with "Resistance." Like you said, the definitions of resistance, rebellion, and separatists are not so different from each other. Don't worry about failing to review a chapter. Sometimes, you can put your thoughts about two chapters in one review if you're late or something.**

 ** _To xez2003_: Thanks for telling me about what you think about Ben's role here. Appreciate it.**

Once again, Mal is walking around Auradon all on her own. Her first stop: Sherwood. That was because someone posted a picture on the internet of a piece of fire art with her name tagged. It looked randomly amateurish, until Mal noticed that there was a message hidden in the picture. It looked the flames were trying to spell something. A mirrored C lit up closely to a diagonal line looked like a "D." Then there's a vertical line close to three horizontal lines, looking like an "E." There were two slashes that appear to form the letter "V." A slash next to a horizontal line looked like an "L." In between the "V" and "L" is a very stylish looking slash that looked like an "I."

"De Vil," Mal realized.

The reason Mal knew it was at Sherwood because Robin Hood's gravestone was in the shot. Carlos knew only Mal would care enough to check it out. So, that's what she's doing. She ditches her walk and quickly teleports to Sherwood to look for the white-haired archer. She found burn marks on the grass near Robin Hood's grave. Carlos must've extinguished the fire art immediately after posting a picture of it online.

"Okay, where are you, Snowball?" She wondered.

It was quiet. Very quiet, as a matter of fact. Then Mal sensed something behind her. She turned around just as an arrow zoomed straight towards her. She grabbed it before it hit her stomach. The tip of the arrow blinked, as if it was about to go off. Mal threw the arrow towards a tree. The arrow released steel cables that "tied up" the tree.

"Not exactly the type of hello I was expecting," said Mal.

Carlos comes out of hiding and says, "Just making sure. With the way things are going around here, you can never ever ever be too careful."

"Okay, that's fair," said Mal. "Nice to see you again. Really."

"I thought I was just some other sap to you," said Carlos.

"Why are we here, Carlos?" Mal asked, insisting they get straight to the point.

"Before I tell you, I have to ask," said Carlos. "What were you expecting after you escape the catacombs?"

"That the resistance would be in a panicked state," said Mal.

"But you were counting on that," said Carlos.

"It's a trust exercise, Carlos," Mal explained. "A bold one that would risk a life or two, but believe me, I want this trust exercise to go off without a hitch. No casualties. Just my success."

"This is such a huge gamble just to earn my trust," said Carlos.

"Who says you're the only person whose trust I need?" Mal replied.

Carlos was now confused. If he's not the only person whose trust she wants, then who else? But he decided to think about it later. He needed to share everything with her and to confirm that she is going down the same path that he and CJ took. A villain kid seeking redemption. He was still cautious around her, but the fact that he was willing to meet with her alone here says something.

"What do you need from me?" asked Mal.

"If you truly seek to change your ways, like CJ and I, then protect us," said Carlos. "Ben has ordered his best warriors to scout the kingdom for a new hiding place in case you revealed where we've been hiding for all these years."

"If I wanted to tell my mom where you were, you would've all been dead this morning," said Mal.

"I know," said Carlos. "I don't trust you, but after all you've done in front of me... I can't help but feel that it's out of the goodness of your own heart, if there is any."

"As I keep telling you, what I want is much more than all _this_ ," Mal said, gesturing to the bleak sky above that symbolizes the world now. "I can't tell you everything without losing the little trust you have in me, but I promise you, I don't want to hurt you or your friends... unless they hurt me first."

"So, will you help me?" asked Carlos.

"Just stick with the resistance and I'll be right behind you," said Mal.

"All you need now is the location Ben'll scout first," said Carlos.

"No need," said Mal. "That magic arrow you're carrying with you, I can find you pretty much anywhere, which is why I told you that I'll be right behind you."

"So, you basically planted a tracking device on me?" Carlos questioned.

"Well, basically, yes, but I'm gonna need that arrow someday," said Mal.

"Can you at least tell me what it's for?" asked Carlos. "Does is negate magic? Cast some kind of curse? Or is the purple glow just for show?"

Mal just crossed her arms and looked at him with a dour expression on her face, refusing to answer his question.

"I guess trust goes both ways," Carlos realized.

"Do you trust me to keep an eye on you?" asked Mal.

"Right now, with how Ben is acting, even if he hasn't completely fallen into darkness, I guess I have to commit necessary evil to save the resistance," said Carlos.

"What about CJ?" asked Mal. "Don't you trust her with the truth?"

"She wouldn't even listen to me. The way you treated her, she hates you too much to give you the benefit of the doubt," said Carlos. "I'm risking a lot by coming to you. Please, don't let me down."

"If you don't let me down, I won't let you down," Mal promised.

"So, if you must know... I just told CJ that I'm out to steal from the rich and give to the poor, if you know what I mean," Carlos said, if rather awkwardly. "Maybe we can continue on our little journey? I don't know if we were finished actually. Ben isn't gonna leave the catacombs for another few hours, which means we got time."

Mal was now suspicious.

"I assume our journey is more than just about testing the trust between us," Mal guessed.

"Well... I mean... should there be another reason?" Carlos replied nervously.

"Carlos, I know you felt spooked after I gave you that goodbye kiss," said Mal. "I didn't stick around to ask because I thought you were just feeling awkward about a girl who isn't your girlfriend kissing you on the cheek, but now I'm beginning to wonder... did I do something to you that I didn't know about?"

"I... you didn't... I mean..." Carlos stuttered, unsure of how to respond. Did she know about the strange images in his head, he wondered.

"Maybe another time," Mal decided, trying to be gentle with him. "So, where would you like to go?"

"That's up to you," said Carlos.

"Hmm," Mal thought hardly. "I think I know just where we should go. You'll hate me, but you'll thank me later."

 _Already starting to regret this_ , Carlos thought nervously.

* * *

Back in the catacombs, Eleanor was playing a made-up board game with a 7-year-old girl. The little girl's mother was too busy helping the others with food and supplies and the little girl wanted to play, so Eleanor volunteered to look after her. The little girl's name is Eva. The board game they were playing was invented by Lonnie, which involved rolling dice, moving pieces from one circle to another, and avoiding evil obstacles on the board, as if she's trying to teach kids how to be more alert.

"Why can't you walk?" Eva asked curiously.

"I had an accident," said Eleanor. "But you're a strong girl. You don't have to worry."

Eleanor was distracted when she saw CJ about to leave the catacombs. She tells Eva to wait as she pursues the blonde pirate. She had to roll faster because CJ looked determined to leave immediately.

"Ms. CJ Hook," Eleanor called, trying to sound formal.

"It's just CJ," said CJ. "What do you want?"

"I thought you and the others weren't leaving until noon," said Eleanor.

"Carlos left earlier," said CJ.

"He's your boyfriend, right?" asked Eleanor.

"He's the best," CJ said dreamily. "Best at inventing. Best at being a good boyfriend. Not to mention, best at getting himself into trouble when he's alone. He thinks I'm just gonna sit here while he goes out there to get food and supplies on his own, but he should know me better than that."

"It sounds like he does this all the time," said Eleanor.

"Like once or twice a week," said Eleanor. "Last time he did this, he got captured by Maleficent's daughter. I can't just let that happen again."

"You really care about him, don't you?" asked Eleanor, feeling strange to be talking to a less villainous CJ.

"I love him," CJ said sincerely. "Haven't you ever loved someone?"

"My mom," said Eleanor. "Wherever she is, but I know she's watching me."

"Weird, but I guess that's a nice thing to think about," said CJ. "Look, don't tell Ben. Carlos is my boyfriend and I don't want anyone to die by coming with me. Anything can happen in this life. You go to sleep, the world blows up. You step on a twig, something bursts into flames."

"I won't tell Ben. I promise," Eleanor promised.

"Well, see you later, Eleo," said CJ.

As CJ left, Eleanor facepalms in response to the nickname. As if Mal calling her "Eleo" wasn't enough, now she has two VKs who will call her that over and over again. Eleanor wishes her mother named her Ellie instead. That way, "El" is the only nickname for her and it wouldn't bother her.

But she didn't have time to worry about her nickname right now. She just learned that Carlos left the catacombs. She was so busy getting adjusted to the place that she forgot to use her Omin-Sight to keep an eye on everyone. And if Mal were to find Carlos again, who knows what she'll do to him. Remembering that she can use her Omni-Sight without getting a headache. Closing her eyes and breathing slowly, she tries to find Carlos.

He's with Mal. They appear to be traveling together again.

"I'm sorry, Eva, but I have a friend to protect," Eleanor said, afraid of what might happen to Carlos.

 **Okay, I know this was short and there was not much going on other than Mal and (New World) Carlos meeting again. I've been trying to build up to more intense stuff, but so far all I've done is play it sort of safe so far. This supposed to be a world full of suffering. What am I doing?**

 **So, what do you think?**


	10. Core Four Reunion

**Okay, so we left off last time with Mal and Carlos on another journey together. Where are they going? Oh, I hope you'll love this. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, xez2003, CarvieCamfia2**

 ** _To xez2003_: Yeah, well, I thought I had the most important plot points of the series planned out. I guess I was unprepared for how "Poor Unfortunate Souls" was going to end. At least "Long Live Evil" and "Ways To Be Wicked", while setting up future stories, had the endings I wanted. And as for why Mal is so calm in this new world, it's because she's accepted that this is her reality now. She thought that there's no use losing her mind if this is her life now. Besides, there was a one-month gap between this story and "Poor Unforunate Souls" where all Mal could do was think.**

Mal and Carlos traverse through the woods once again. Mal was doing all kinds of showing off. Tightroping on logs. Jumping over boulders. Using any flat surface as a boost for flips. Carlos just followed her through simple walking. He was so confused about why she's acting so vivacious. That smile on her face, a few childish giggles... it's like she's an entirely different person. What happened to the vile and ruthless but somewhat caring Mal he was talking to an hour ago?

"Um, are you okay?" asked Carlos.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Mal replied with a rather merry tone in her voice.

"Just an hour ago, you were all, _I'll let you down if you let me down_ , and, _trust goes both ways_... but now..." Carlos paused, unsure if she's understanding him with the way she's acting.

"Hey, I'm not all storm clouds and dark magic. Sometimes, a girl's just gotta get loose, have some fun, put on a little smile," said Mal.

Carlos was even more bewildered by this sudden change in attitude. True, he doesn't know her well, but this shift in personality was just too odd to not wonder about. It got even odder when Mal picked up a purple flower and gently blew it away, letting the wind guide it through the skies.

"Isn't nature wonderful?" Mal asked.

"I heard you go out a lot," said Carlos. "Why act like you don't go out much?"

"I got out, alright. I just never took the time to appreciate the flora," said Mal. "It's amazing how there are still some beautiful flowers and plants in this evil wasteland."

"Okay, are you messing with me or something?" Carlos accused.

"What's to mess with you about?" Mal replied nonchalantly. "Maybe I'm just enjoying myself."

"Okay, but your definition of enjoying yourself is way different than mine," said Carlos.

"Maybe, but who says I can't find something new to help me enjoy myself?" Mal responded. "Burning down houses and torturing morons are fun, but I wanna move pass that phase in my life."

"By acting like a little girl exploring the woods for the first time?" Carlos questioned.

"In a way, I am still a little girl," said Mal. "Like you're still a little boy. So, nothing wrong with a little youthful expression of your feelings, right?"

"Maybe," said Carlos. "But I think you need to sit and calm down. Maybe you're trying to hide your stress behind this nice girl aura..."

"I'm not hiding anything," Mal denied. "I'm just excited for where we're going."

"But I'm not," said Carlos.

"C'mon, we're nearly there," said Mal.

"But this is the way to Grimsmouth," said Carlos. "Why would you want to take me back there?"

"Just curious," Mal answered.

"About what?" asked Carlos.

"Just stop asking question and roll with it," said Mal.

Mal grabs Carlos' hand and drags him towards Grimsmouth. Carlos knew he was gonna hate this, but Mal's current behavior making it a lot scarier for him. Why he willingly chose to go on this journey with her, he'll never completely understand.

* * *

At the castle belonging to Evil Queen, the young Princess Evie was sipping tea on the balcony outside her room. She looks at the engagement ring on her finger, reminding herself that she's getting married to Prince Jay of Agrabah in less than a month. This marriage would make both of them leaders of Grimsmouth and Agrabah. If Mal wasn't the daughter of Maleficent, then she and Jay would be in control in the future. _At least we have both love and some power with us_ , Evie thought.

Evie was about to grab the last biscuit on her plate when someone else grabbed it. A hand connected to a purple leather sleeve.

"Mal," Evie guessed.

Mal munched on the biscuit and then said, "Sorry. Did you want this?"

"And what reason could you possibly have to intrude upon my home?" Evie asked.

"First of all, could you ease up with the royal talk?" Mal said. "And second..."

Mal turns around and fires a fireball at a nearby potted shrub. As the shrub burst into flames, someone hiding behind jumped back in fear. It was Jay, Evie's soon-to-be husband. Mal laughed at the sight of Jay's fear and the sound of his startled scream.

"Seriously? Are you ever gonna stop doing that?" Jay complained.

"When you start getting good at hiding from me, maybe I will," Mal said sarcastically, doubting it would ever happen.

"I'm not even carrying magic. How are you even sensing me?" asked Jay.

"A dragon's sense of smell," Mal joked.

"Really?" asked Jay.

Mal just laughed on the inside. Jay actually thought she was being serious about the whole dragon's-sense-of-smell thing. She ignored his stupidity and finished the rest of the biscuit she took from Evie.

"So, are you invited here, Jay, or are you still sneaking around?" Mal asked, having learned that Jay of the new world always sneaked into Evie's castle without the mother's knowledge.

"Hey, I'm gonna be Evil Queen's stepson. I think I'm welcome here now," said Jay.

"But we're not married yet, so you're still not welcome here," said Evie. "But, hey, you know I'll always welcome you here."

Evie approaches Jay for a kiss. Mal turned around to not look, but she could still picture it in her head. Another silent "ew" escaped her lips as she waited for the soon-to-be married couple to finish.

"Don't make me burn you lips off, you two," Mal said threateningly, wishing for them to stop.

"So, if I may ask again, why are you here?" Evie asked.

"There's someone I'd like you to meet," said Mal.

Mal snaps her fingers and teleports the three of them to a spot in the woods not too far from the castle. Evie and Jay see a white-haired boy (Carlos, actually) magically glued to a tree. Jay was intrigued by the bow and hi-tech arrows he found on the ground, while Evie stared at the boy mouth agape. Carlos stared at Evie the same way. Mal was now even more intrigued. It would seem that they know each other.

"Hey!"

The was Jay. While he was messing around with the arrows, he got caught in a net made of steel cable that just popped out from one of the arrows. He tried to break free, but the net was too strong.

"I would've said, don't touch them, but I just wanted to see them blow up in your face," said Mal. "Literally."

"Uh, Evie, baby, how 'bout a little hand here?" Jay called.

Evie couldn't help him. She was too busy playing a game of "Don't blink" with Carlos, only this game involved emotional staring. Mal can tell that there is something going on here more than just them knowing each other by face.

"Uh, Evie?" Mal called. "This is..."

"Carlos," Evie interrupted her.

"You know him?" Jay asked, confused.

"I, well... a long time ago," said Evie. "I thought he was dead."

"Or so you and everyone thought," Carlos said sadly.

"Nice suit," Evie complimented. "Although, the design could use some work."

"You haven't changed at all. No surprise there," said Carlos. "I see you've had a happy life after we last saw each other."

"Well, I had more important things in my life to focus on," said Evie.

"That's what you said last time," Carlos reminded her with slight bitterness in his voice.

"And you're making a big deal out of this, like last time," said Evie.

"I can't believe how narcissistic you are," Carlos insulted.

"I can't believe how sensitive you are," Evie insulted back.

"Whoa, some temperament from a royal princess, E," Mal said, wowed that the wickedly courteous Evie is acting like a true bad girl.

"What are you even doing with him, Mal?" asked Evie.

"When I escaped from the resistance, I thought I'd take home a special guest with me," Mal lied, conjuring quite a convincing story.

"I'm liking this a lot less already," said Carlos.

"Feeling's mutual," said Evie.

"Hey!" Jay shouted. "I could handle this myself, but we could be here all day."

Mal frees Jay by burning the net with fire magic. Jay got singed a bit on the arm, but he just smacked it until the flame died. Mal once again felt amused just messing with Jay. Jay was growing more and more tired of her bullying.

"Get him out of here, Mal," Evie ordered.

"Harsh," Jay said, offended.

"Not you," said Evie. "Him!" She pointed at Carlos.

"Good. I don't even wanna be here anyway," said Carlos.

"I thought it would be nice for the three of you to get to know each other, especially since Carlos here is gonna be more involved in our lives," said Mal. Needing to keep her cover, she adds, "As my prisoner, of course."

"I'd rather rot in jail than see her face again," Carlos said, glaring at Evie.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I feel the same way," said Evie. "Except I'd rather be locked in my room instead of in jail. And if I were thrown in jail, which is impossible since I'm a princess and the daughter of the Evil Queen..."

"You would like to have your make-up kit with you. I get it," Carlos said, annoyed by her narcissism.

"No respect, as always," Evie retorted. "I can't believe we ever became close."

"I don't think we were ever close at all, from your perspective, that is," said Carlos.

"You guys were close?" Jay asked.

Evie ignored Jay and continued shouting at Carlos. She said, "Just a lowlife hood, as you always were."

"At least I'm a lowlife who knows the true meaning of love," Carlos retorted. "At least I found someone who I care about and cares about me. You're delusional if you think what you and Jay have is true love."

Evie slaps Carlos across the face, much to Mal and Jay's shock.

Carlos' cheek turned red due to the hard slap. But he didn't seem to care. Although, a tear appeared to have escaped his eye. Evie showed no sympathy and just turned her back on him, walking back to the castle.

"Hey, wait up," Jay called.

Jay ran after his fiance. Mal stayed with Carlos.

Mal frees him from the tree, only for him to grab his weapons and walk away from her. Mal followed him. Mal tried to get his attention, but Carlos wouldn't even look at her. Mal teleported herself in front of him, but he just walked around her and ignored her. She lit up a huge flame in his way, but he did the same thing with her and just walked around it.

"Talk to me, Carlos. C'mon," said Mal.

"We got nothing to talk about," said Carlos.

"I did say I was curious," said Mal.

"And you thought making me face Evie again after all these years is the best way to satisfy your curiosity?" Carlos questioned angrily.

"I saw the look on your face when you saw the castle a week ago," said Mal. "I figured you and Evie had some history. I just wanted to know."

"And why do you care about that?" asked Carlos. "And don't say it's just because you're curious."

"I don't like secrets. You and Evie know each other and I want to know how and why," said Mal.

"Well, stay out of it," said Carlos.

Carlos walks away from her again, only for Mal to poof right in front of him again. He tried walking around her again, but she kept blocking his way. Frustrated and annoyed, Carlos aims an arrow at her.

"Do you really wanna do this again?" Mal asked, fed up with this scene.

Carlos knew it was pointless to even threaten her. Besides the fact that she can easily counter his shots with her magic, he doesn't have the guts anymore to release the bow when aiming an arrow at her.

"Look, I'm sorry if seeing Evie again was painful for you," Mal apologized. "But if we're gonna be allies... maybe friends even... we have to know more about each other."

"You wouldn't even tell me what your plans are for the resistance," said Carlos. "Now you expect me to tell you more of my secrets?"

"I want to dethrone my mother!" Mal revealed.

Carlos was quite now. He didn't expect her to just shout the truth at him, but clearly he provoked her like she provoked him. One thing he was sure of is that she was telling the truth. Pushing someone's temper to its limit can pressure this someone to just drop the truth bomb.

"And you want the resistance to help you," Carlos guessed.

"I can handle my mother, but she has an entire kingdom as backup," said Mal. "I need help. Your help. Other people's help."

"You didn't have to keep that from me," said Carlos.

"Well, I did," said Mal. "But now it's your turn. How do you know Evie?"

Carlos calmed down as he sat down next to a tree. He takes out an arrow with a heart-shaped tip. Mal jokingly thought it was a love potion arrow, but why would Carlos ever invent something like that? She just sat down next to him while keeping some distance between them.

"The first time I met Evie, it was her sixth birthday party," Carlos started.

Funny, Mal thought. That was also true in the old reality. Carlos first met Evie at that exact same day.

"We never really spoke. I just gave her a gift and walked away," said Carlos. "But every time I had to come along with my mother to her meetings with the other villains, I keep seeing her. I was too shy to talk to her, though. I just watched her from across the room. Every single time."

"Creepy," Mal commented.

"A girl as beautiful as her, why wouldn't I?" Carlos replied.

Mal understood. No matter which world, boys would always stare at Evie because her beauty rivals that of Cinderella and Snow White. To know that Carlos still does the same even in this new world, she thought it was kinda cute.

"I didn't tell you the whole truth about three years ago," Carlos continued. "I did run away from my mother, but I didn't run into Robin Hood immediately. I ran into Evie while she was visiting Camelot. It's a funny story. I was hiding from her because I didn't know if I should even talk to her. I was watching her from the top of a roof. I tripped and I fell. Crashed into a pile of hay right next to her. She recognized me and we started talking. One day of getting to know each other, laughing at each other's jokes, or her laughing at me when I had an accident... I don't know. We just clicked. I told her that I didn't want to go home to my mom anymore, so she took me in, hid me in her castle's basement. I stayed there for three months and I got to know her better. Believe it or not, she's not exactly all bad."

"Oh, really? Then what was she like?" Mal asked, pretending she doesn't know about Evie's nice side.

"She's actually... good," said Carlos. "She's caring, considerate, compassionate... she took care of me, made sure I was happy. And I was happy. She made me smile. I made her smile. We kept each other company. I tried to teach her about science and she would just pretend to understand and I would just go with it. She made me feel... feel like... like..."

"You loved her," Mal figured out.

Carlos didn't have to nod to answer. The look on his face made it so obvious.

"But then she and Jay started hanging out more and everything changed," said Carlos. "She fell in love with him, got more involved with the other villains because of him, and then it's like the good side of her just switched off permanently. All I knew is that she started to treat me more like my mother. Like I was just a slave. A slave to a princess. It hurt so much to see her treat me that way, so I ran away... again."

Mal scooted closer and put one arm around Carlos, hugging him even if he wouldn't like it. He didn't fight back. He accepted this act of comfort. Carlos leaned on her until his head rested against hers. Confessing yet another big secret took an emotional toll on him, so Mal wanted him to have a shoulder to lean on.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Meanwhile, on the other side of the woods, Evie told Jay her own version of the story between her and Carlos. She just casually fast-forwarded through all the important parts as if she didn't care about them at all. She told Jay that she took Carlos in to be her servant and prisoner, which was a lie, and that he ran away after three months of servitude.

"You're holding back something," said Jay. "I mean, from the look and sound of it, you seemed like you were... friends."

"Well, he wasn't all bad, really," Evie admitted. "He's smart, too sweet for his own good... but I could not let myself fall into the light. I had to remain strong and resist his charms."

"Charms?" Jay questioned. "Were you two... in love?"

"Hell no," Evie denied. "When he's not being nice, he was judging me for how I treated him. Ungrateful runt, he was. I gave him a home, I fed him, and made sure no one found out about him. And how does he repay me? Constant criticism of me just being myself. He criticized me for caring about my looks. He criticized me for my so-called _prejudiced_ opinions of other VKs. Worst of all, he criticized my feelings for you."

"Well, then he's a jerk," said Jay. "No one criticizes my girl but me."

"True," Evie said amorously, stroking his cheek with her hand in a very affectionate manner.

Jay smiled and leaned in for another kiss, but Evie turned her head.

"What's wrong?" asked Jay.

"I just never thought I'd see him again," said Evie. "I just made myself think he was dead. Well, news flash, he's not. There he is."

"Do you... miss him?" asked Jay.

"Why would I?" Evie questioned, denying that she did.

Before Jay could interrogate her further, they both received text messages from Harry. Same message. Just as they were about to read it, Mal poofed right next to them with Carlos. Carlos was tied up in magical restrains (as part of the act, of course).

"Harry sent every single his closest buddies the same message," Mal said.

Evie and Jay read the message. The message came with a picture. A picture of... Ben and his closest friends from the resistance, hiding somewhere in Faraway Cove. Harry's message said: "Want to have some fun with the resistance?"

"Oh, we definitely do," said Jay. He turns to Evie and asks, "Wanna join me, baby?"

"A princess would never fight her own battles. Lucky for you, I'm not a hero princess," said Evie.

"Looks like your plan worked, Mal. They're out of their hiding spot and they're about to lose the game," said Jay.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go whoop some resistance butt," Mal said excitedly.

While Jay and Evie exchanged excited smiles, Mal turns to Carlos and winks at him, reminding him that she's still on his side. Carlos nodded to let her know that he knows.

However, Carlos knew something was wrong. It's still hours before the time Ben said he would depart. So, why would Ben move out right now?

 **This is so NOT good. Ben and the resistance are out of the catacombs and just got spotted by Harry. Remember what I said about building up to intense stuff...**

 **So, what do you think?**


	11. Faraway Cove? More like Fight-Away Cove!

**Been itching for some action? Whether the answer is yes or no, brace yourselves. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, CarvieCamfia2, danifan3000, xez2003, Descendants123**

 ** _To danifan3000_: Just wait and see.**

CJ was out on her own, looking for her boyfriend Carlos. Right now, she's at Faraway Cove, chopping away at trees and bushes in a desperate rush to find the white-haired archer. After almost losing him to Mal last week, she didn't want him out on his own again. She would've stopped him earlier, but he insisted on doing this solo. She, however, insisted on following him. She doesn't know where he is, since the resistance transports in and out of the Isle using vanishing potions that can take anyone anywhere, but if she had to search for him all day, she would.

"That boy is so brave and so stupid at the same time," said CJ.

CJ continues to sneak through the woods just in case someone might see her. In a world ruled with villains, you can never turn a corner or take a nap without making sure you're safe.

"CJ!"

CJ turned around and pointed her sword at whoever called her. Fortunately, they were friendlies. Ben, Audrey, Chad, Lonnie, Jordan, and Scarlet.

"What are you guys doing here?" asked CJ.

"Eleanor said you snuck out to look for Carlos," said Ben.

"That snitch," CJ growled, making a mental reminder to talk to Eleanor later.

"You should've told us first," said

"I almost lost him before. I can't lose any of you too," said CJ.

"That's sweet," said Scarlet. "But he's my brother, CJ. If you were gonna bring some company with you, you should've come to me. I love and care for him as much as you do."

"No offense, Scarlet, but you don't know Mal," said CJ.

"What makes you so sure she even has him?" asked Chad.

"I'm not. But that's a worse case scenario I wish wouldn't happen," said CJ. "Just leave me alone."

"No," Ben insisted. "We're gonna help you look for him. Afterwards, we're gonna talk to you two about sneaking out without letting us know."

"Why? Because we're VKs?" CJ accused.

"Because we care about both of you. That's why we want you both safe," said Ben.

"Are you even sure Carlos was out for just food and supplies?" asked Lonnie.

"Trust me. I figured he was lying when he told me that, but all I care about now is finding him before someone else does," said CJ.

"Like we found you?"

The resistance jumps, startled, as they heard voices in the bushes. First to come out of the bushes is Harry Hook, followed by Uma and Gil. All resistance members get into their battle stances, preparing to fight the VKs.

"Seven of us and only three of you. Odds are in our favor," Chad said confidently.

"Guess again," said another voice in the bushes.

More VKs came out of the bushes. Freddie, Ginny, Claudine, Yzla, Hadie, and Mad Maddy, a.k.a. part of The Dragons, Mal's gang. That makes this battle nine to seven in favor of the villains.

"Now the odds are in our favor," said Uma.

"CJ," Harry greeted his younger sister casually.

"Harry," CJ greeted him casually.

"I thought you were dead," said Harry.

"Yeah, and odd that you never even cried about it," CJ said bitterly.

"Well, if you're working for them now, I may have no choice but to make sure you're in the ground for real," said Harry.

"No qualms about killing your own flesh and blood? I'm disappointed," said CJ.

"A traitor from the grave. The remains of the resistance's leadership. This is turning out to be quite a pleasant day," said Uma.

"It sure is."

Poofing into the area is Mal, accompanied by Evie and Jay. Make that twelve to seven in favor of the villains.

"Looking for Carlos, CJ?" Mal taunted.

"What did you to him?" asked CJ.

"Don't worry. He's safe... for now," said Mal. "But first, let's be smart. Twelve of us. Only seven of you. What are the chances either of you can walk away from this, least of all one survivor?"

"But you don't want that, do you?" Jay asked.

"No killing... not yet at least," said Mal. "I want them to have a public execution."

"Making an example of them, huh? Nice one," Uma said.

"Why, thank you, Uma," Mal replied.

"But we can leave some scratch marks, can we?" asked Freddie.

"Make them bleed, but make sure their hearts still beat," said Mal.

"How can you say that stuff without throwing up?" Jordan questioned, disgusted.

"You think that's disgusting? How about I rip your heart from your chest? Is that disgusting?" Mal replied with a sadistic smile.

"You're sick," Ben insulted.

"Aw, thanks," Mal said, pretending to feel touched by the insult.

"Ready when you are, Mal," said Freddie.

"Ready," Mal signaled.

Before the fight can begin, an arrow comes out of the shadows and heads straight towards Mal. She grabs it before it hit her face, but what's odd is that the arrow had a flat head. A red light blinks as the arrow starts beeping. It explodes and releases a smokescreen.

"Go! Now!" A voice in the woods said.

"Carlos?" CJ recognized.

"Go!" Carlos repeated.

Jordan was about to snap her fingers and teleport herself and her friends away, until she got zapped by a purple magic ball coming from within the smokescreen. It was Mal, who cleared the smokescreen with a simple wave of her hand. Now that the smoke is cleared, everyone can see who fired the arrow. It was, indeed, Carlos.

"What part of _stay put_ did you not understand?" Mal asked angrily.

"That part where you're gonna kill my friends," said Carlos. "Hey, CJ."

"Hey," CJ greeted. "You're in big trouble when we get out of this."

" _If_ you get out of this," said Evie. "You chances are not looking so high."

"Enough talk. Let's finish this," Harry said early.

And the battle begins. The VKs engage the resistance in a fight to the not-death, since Mal (the future ruler of Auradon) wants to use the resistance as an example. That doesn't mean the VKs are gonna hold back. Despite the disadvantage in numbers, the resistance fights with all they've got.

Mal and Uma double-team Ben.

Evie and Audrey engage in a princess-vs-princess sword fight.

Gil fights Chad.

Jay goes one-on-one against Lonnie.

Claudine and Ginny gang up against Scarlet.

Freddie and Yzla combine their magical talents against Jordan.

The two Hook siblings face each other.

Hadie and Mad Maddy decide to take on Carlos together.

CJ and Harry were evenly matched. CJ had no intention of holding back even though she's a hero now. CJ ducks under Harry's high swing and kicks him in the stomach. Harry blocks CJ's next swing, causing the two to get caught in a lock. They push hard in order to knock the other down. Harry's strength is superior, but CJ is resilient.

"I knew you were soft, CJ, but allying yourself with the resistance? You have lost it, sister," Harry said insultingly.

"I lost it? At least I opened my eyes to the truth, Harry," said CJ. "The resistance, they treat me like family despite their doubts. At least they know how to care about someone, unlike you and dad and Harriet."

Scarlet knew that a bow and arrow will not do well in up-close combat, so that's why her bow is made of reinforced carbon fiber, just like Carlos'. She uses it like a sword against both Claudine and Ginny, both whom were using daggers like swords.

"You may want to choose a more efficient weapon," Claudine mocked.

"The bow can handle swords and fire. I think I'm good," Scarlet replied.

"Then you're dead, Red," said Ginny.

"My hair is scarlet red, but I get the insult," said Scarlet.

Gil's smarts allow him to think even during battle. After dodging Chad's swing, he elbows Chad in the face and then kicks him on the hip. Gil points a sword at Chad's face to force him not to make another move.

"You're not so smart, are you?" Gil insulted. "Anticipate and calculate. Try it some time."

"Oh, like you're a smart fighter," Chad insulted.

"Uh, who here has a sword pointed at his face?" Gil retorted.

Jay was going easy on Lonnie as he underestimated her at first. Lonnie, on the other hand, was giving it all she's got. Jay was starting to feel overwhelmed by Lonnie's strength, speed, and skill. From high swings to spin swings, Lonnie's attacks were making Jay stumble backwards to the point where he almost falls.

"Whoa, you got spunk," Jay complimented.

"Think I'm just some pretty girl, street rat?" Lonnie replied.

"Well, I can't say you're ugly," said Jay.

"Your wife must be all kinds of ditzy to marry someone like you," Lonnie insulted.

Jordan was hiding behind trees to hide from incoming fire. Freddie threw magic cards at her. Yzla threw potion bottles at her. Hadie used dark magic to draw her out. Jordan had to keep teleporting from one tree to the other to avoid getting hurt.

"You're Genie's daughter, aren't you?" Freddie taunted. "Use your magic. C'mon!"

"Coward," Yzla insulted. "Too bad. I was hoping for more of a fight."

Jordan comes out of the tree and snaps her fingers, creating flashing magic smoke in front of the two VKs, temporarily blinding them. She decided to do something her father would do. She poofs up two water balloons and then throws them at the two VKs' faces. What they didn't expect is the water balloons releasing water that is ten times the volume that balloon could hold, soaking them and sending them floating down into the woods like a river.

"That better?" Jordan sassed.

Evie and Audrey are both princesses who are capable of defending themselves. Evie learned from her fellow VKs while Audrey trained with Ben. So far, Evie is showing herself to be better, striking left and right as fast as she can to keep Audrey from getting the chance to counter. Evie kicks Audrey hard in the knee before slashing a part of her hair off.

"Be glad I wasn't aiming for your head," said Evie.

"You don't fight fair," Audrey said, clutching her aching knee.

Hadie was using his dark magic against Carlos. Mad Maddy, in wolf form, chases Carlos through the woods. Carlos zipped from one tree to the next with his grappling arrows, all the while firing electric arrows and smokescreen arrows at the two VKs, trying to keep them off his back. Right now, Maddy is lying down temporarily immobile due to too much electricity in her system, while Hadie is coughing from too much smoke.

"Fight like a man, tinkerer!" Hadie taunted.

Carlos responds by tying up Hadie with a steel cable arrow.

"A man fights in his own way and sticks to his own way. Robin Hood taught me that," said Carlos.

Mal and Uma seem to be doing just fine against Ben. Strength in numbers and all that. Mal and Uma are taking turns swinging and kicking at Ben. The young future king can only block the incoming swings and kicks with his sword and arms, unable to find room or time to strike. Mal and Uma pull off a combo move together. Mal spins out from behind Uma and spin-kicks Ben in the stomach, giving Uma time to strike him in the face with her magical braids.

"Nice one," said Mal.

"I hope you still remember our triple-sea-slash comb," said Uma.

"Ah, pff... of course I do," Mal lied.

Ben's beastly fury gets to him as he continues to fight with his sword. It was just him versus Uma. Uma tries to stay on her feet, but Ben's rage-filled swinging was making it hard. First, he swings so hard that he has her stumbling sideways. Next, his next swing knocks her sword off her hand. Ben was about to make another move, until Mal blocks Ben's sword with her own.

"I think someone needs to cool off," Mal said jokingly.

"I'm not a damsel in distress, Mal," said Uma, a bit ticked that she was rescued.

Mal said, "Hey, if it wasn't for me..."

Mal does a little spin move with her sword still locked on Ben's and then kicks him down to the ground with force. She then helps her "BFF" up on her feet.

"You'd be down to four limbs, and I'm not talking about human limbs," Mal finished humorously.

"Hey, where're Freddie and Yzla?" Uma wondered.

"Genie's daughter sent them into the jungle with magical water," Jay said while still fighting Lonnie.

Jay ducks under all of Lonnie's swings, only to get roundhouse-kicked in the face.

"Wow, you hit really hard!" Jay complimented in spite the bruised jaw.

"For a girl, right?" Lonnie asked accusingly.

"My fiance fights like a warrior. I don't judge," Jay said. His jaw aches again and he says, "Ow."

"And where's De Vil?" asked Mal.

"The snow-haired loser? He followed Jordan into the woods," Evie answered while fighting Audrey.

Evie kicks Audrey's ankle before back-kicking her towards a tree, cornering her there.

"Uma, keep an eye on Prince Bennyboo. I gotta go find Carlos," Mal ordered.

"Why are so worked up about that traitor?" Uma asked.

"No one messes with my slave but me," said Mal.

"I still have that scar from last year," Gil said, pulling down his shirt collar to show said scar on his chest.

* * *

Carlos and Jordan are looking for Freddie and Yzla, both whom were "washed away" by Jordan's water balloons. Jordan searched by walking while Carlos kept zipping from one tree branch to the next with his grappling arrows. Jordan was not impressed.

"Do you have to keep showing off?" asked Jordan.

"Sometimes, having aerial advantage is key," said Carlos.

Suddenly, a trio of magically-charged cards fly straight at Carlos. He back-flips off the branch quickly, letting the cards hit another tree and damaging its bark badly. Another trio of magic cards zoomed towards the heroes, this time at Jordan. Jordan snaps her fingers and quickly blocked the cards with a magical shield.

"You're gonna pay for that lousy bath, She-Genie!" Yzla said vengefully.

"And you're so gonna pay for my hat," said Freddie, who lost her little top hat in the _flood_. "My dad's not gonna be happy if he finds out I lost it."

"Oh, just get a new hat," Jordan sassed.

Jordan snaps her fingers and poofs up magic sparkles that caused Freddie to sneeze and cough since they were at her face. Jordan snaps her fingers again and knocks down Yzla with a magical burst of sparkles. Unfortunately, Yzla threw a potion bottle at the same time. The bottle hits Jordan and covers her lower body in thick layers of ice. Thin layers of ice covered her upper body, which means she can't move.

"Leave everything to me, huh?" Carlos complained in a mocking kind of way.

Carlos draws back his bow and aims an arrow at Freddie. Before he could release the bow, something bit his shoulder. It was Mad Maddy, who is still a wolf. Before Carlos' situation could get worse, Maddy was knocked off the boy with a cloud of flashy sparkles. It looked like Jordan's work... only Jordan was still frozen.

 _Did I do that_ , Jordan wondered.

Suddenly, Mal poofed up next to Carlos. She grabs him and then poofs away with him.

"No!" Jordan cried. "CJ's gonna kill me."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

On the other side of the woods, Mal cauterizes the bite marks on Carlos' shoulder with a little fire. He winced and screamed a little, but Mal tried to be as gentle as she could. As the flames burned his skin, Carlos' mind started to rattle like a wild animal in a cage again. More strange images popped into his head.

Mal shows him the truth gummy he asked for.

Singing, dancing, and creating chaos on the Isle with Mal, Evie, and Jay.

Disarming a security alarm at a museum while running away with Mal, Evie, and Jay.

"Carlos?" Mal called.

Carlos opened his eyes as soon as he heard Mal's real voice through his ears. She had finished cauterizing his wound ten seconds ago, but he still looked like as if his skin was being burned.

"You okay?" asked Mal.

"CJ... the others... we have to go back," Carlos said, worried.

"No, you're not going anywhere with your shoulder in that state," Mal said, concerned. "My magic is healing it, but slowly. "

"I can throw arrows like spears, and I still have one uninjured arm," said Carlos. "Mal, please, you promised you would protect me and my friends. Take me back to them."

"Ugh! Fine!" Mal gave up.

"But wait!" Carlos called as he grabbed her arm. "In case something bad happens..."

"No, don't ever say that," said Mal.

"Mal, please, listen," Carlos pleaded. "I just want to ask you... did we know each other before?"

"What?" Mal asked, confused.

"You once asked me if you did something to me that you didn't know about," Carlos remembered. "I've been getting these strange pictures in my head. The thing is, they feel like... memories. Memories of my past. A past that doesn't even exist, but somehow felt real."

As she processed the information she was given, Mal looked back to what could've caused this. The kiss on the cheek. Of course that was it. Half of a true love's kiss or whatever must've triggered his memories. But wait... Mal thought of something very important. _Can I bring back everyone's memories of the old reality?_

"And what would you say if I told you that we share a history you don't remember?" asked Mal.

"That there's more to this story than I've been led to believe," Carlos replied.

Unexpectedly, Mal kisses Carlos on the lips as she teleports them back to where the fight was. Carlos opens his eyes only to see that Mal was gone, probably having returned to the fight. Before he too could rejoin the fight, another image flashed in his head.

It was Christmas. Mal kissed him... on the lips.

"Who are you, Mal?" Carlos wondered.

Carlos stopped wondering when he noticed that five of his arrows were taken from his quiver.

* * *

Things were not looking good for the resistance.

Ben was proving himself as the superior swordsman, but Uma's temper was getting to her. After some angry screaming and some strong swings, she uses her magical braids to her advantage. She roped Ben's arm, disarms him, and then kicks him towards a tree. She used her braids as handcuffs for him.

Evie fights dirty again by kicking Audrey's heels, tripping her. Another thing that hasn't changed in this new world is Evie's unfair combat tactics.

Jay has been getting humiliated by Lonnie over and over again, but this time, he gets the advantage by stealing Chad's sword.

Speaking of Chad, he just lost to another sword fight with Gil, all thanks to the son of Gaston's quick-thinking and amazing thought-to-action skills.

Ginny's magically-charged dagger slices Scarlet's bow in half, allowing Claudine to beat her with a few swift kicks and a quick slash on the arm.

Meanwhile, in the woods, Jordan is still frozen. Freddie, Yzla, and Mad Maddy are still knocked out.

Harry's spin strikes were overwhelming CJ. She tried using her own spin moves, but ended up tripping herself. Harry now has his sword against her throat and her head is against a tree.

"You lost your flare, sister," said Harry.

"Stop calling me that," CJ growled.

Harry pokes her cheek with his hook in a threatening manner and strangely says, "I must say, they do give you quite the facial treatment."

"Well, a girl's gotta look foxy for her man," CJ replied casually.

"I think it's safe to say this is a win for us," said Uma. "Wouldn't you say, Prince Beasty Boy?"

"Unhand me, sea witch," Ben demanded.

"Hey, shut it," Uma snapped. "Don't make me feed you to the sharks. Or better yet, maybe I should feed you to the piranhas. All those teeth chattering at your face, I can only picture it."

"Man, Uma sure is different when she's not hanging around with Mal," Jay whispered to his fiance.

"We all have our personality shifts, my love," said Evie. "We're not all one-dimensional VKs."

"Okay, let's go and give Mal the good news," said Claudine. "I cannot wait to witness the execution..."

Once again, an arrow comes out of nowhere. This time, it was followed by three more arrows. An arrow was also planted at the spot where Jordan and the other VKs were. Two of the arrows at the main battlefield detonated and created another smokescreen while the other two caused flashy explosions. Everyone is blinded and forced to avert their eyes. In the woods, the arrow just covered Jordan in smoke. Once it cleared, she was gone.

And so were the rest of the resistance.

"What the heck?" Jay wondered.

All of a sudden, Jay was a magically lifted into the air and slammed face-first to a tree. Who else could be doing this? Mal. Carlos' unconscious body was seen by her feet.

"You idiotic, moronic imbeciles," Mal growled angrily. "I trusted you to do one thing. Win this fight. And you couldn't even do that?"

"Hey, that little slave of yours cost us the fight," Uma said, pointing a finger at the unconscious archer.

Mal walks up to Uma with that stoic but scary look on her face. Uma backed up a bit, but could not escape being met by Mal's glowing green eyes. Everyone stepped back in fear.

"Are you saying it's my fault, Uma?" Mal questioned.

"N-N-No," Uma answered, intimidated.

Mal releases Jay and turns her back on her fellow VKs. She grabs Carlos by the back of his shirt, dragging him deeper into the woods with her.

"Where are you going?" asked Evie.

"To blow off some steam," Mal answered.

Mal poofs away along with the unconscious white-haired archer.

"I'd hate to imagine what she'll do to him," said Hadie, who had just been released from his ties.

* * *

Ben wakes up after what felt like a long nap. The first thing he saw is that he's at a familiar place. It looked familiar alright, but different. Rundown ruins. Crystal blue waters. Shiny cliffsides. There's only one place in Auradon he knows that could stay in pristine condition in this bleak, villain-dominated world.

"The Enchanted Lake," Ben remembered. "But why am I here?"

"Well, well. Good morning, Mr. Sleepy Head."

Ben recognized that voice. It's the voice that reminds him of the one who killed his parents. The daughter of that someone, to be specific.

Mal.

"I think it's time you and me have an actual conversation," said Mal.

 **Gone through several chapters in this story of keeping Mal and Ben separated. But for the next one, it's gonna be mostly about their little conversation. What will she say to him? Will he listen?**


	12. Room for Hope

**I've spent most of the story keeping Mal and Ben separated from each other for the sake of Mal standing on her own and exploring this evil new world. Now, it's time to really explore the relationship between Old World Mal and New World Ben. Enjoy...**

 **WARNING: Read at your own risk.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, danifan3000, CarvieCamfia2, Mustang52, xez2003**

 ** _To Mustang52_: Well, it was mostly Evie fighting dirty, but true.**

 ** _To xez2003_: Well, I wasn't gonna rule out true love's kiss having SOME effect to Carlos' memories. But I wanted to show everyone that it takes more than that. Well, the resistance's chances of victory only emphasize just how dark and cruel this new world is.**

The first thing Ben did upon seeing the daughter of Maleficent is draw his sword to force her to stay back. Mal was not intimidated. She just rolled her eyes and took a step closer. Ben stepped back a little when she did. Mal smirks at him and takes another step closer, forcing him another step back. Ben tried to keep his brave face on, but a drop of sweat escapes his hair, showing his fear.

"No need to be afraid, your highness. I mean you no harm," said Mal.

"I don't believe you," said Ben.

"I know. My escape has given you no reason to believe any word I say," said Mal. "Well, except if I tell you that I want to kill you, you'd believe me."

"But you're not?" Ben questioned.

"No," said Mal. "Like I said, you and I are due for an actual conversation."

"I'm not listening to anything you have to say," said Ben. "If you want to make an example of me, go ahead. My people will never stop fighting you and your mother."

"It's amazing how much hope you still have in your heart," said Mal. "16 years of defeat, millions and millions of good people meeting their untimely deaths, and you still have hope for a brighter future."

"Things will never be the same even if me and my people reclaim Auradon, but we prefer freedom than living in fear," said Ben.

"But in spite all that inside, you let your anger cloud your judgment," said Mal. "You come out of the open and almost got your people killed. Granted, I didn't have to barge in, but I did. Still, reckless move on your part, and I know reckless."

"Where are my friends?!" Ben demanded an answer, worried about his friends.

"Relax. They're safe and sound back on the island," said Mal. "Carlos, on the other hand, he stays with me until I decide to return him to you."

"Why are you doing all this?" asked Ben. "You haven't told anyone where the resistance hides, I can tell. What sort of twisted game are you playing?"

"I wouldn't answer that even if I wanted to, Bennyboo," said Mal.

"Stop calling me that," Ben growled.

"Okay. Okay. I'll try to be more respectful to you, Ben," said Mal. "But first, let's put the sword down, shall we?"

"Not a chance," said Ben. "I'm not letting my guard down, no matter what you say to me."

"Okay, fair enough," said Mal.

"I've grown tired of this conversation," said Ben. "If you won't kill me, send me back to my people."

"No," said Mal. "Not until we finish her."

"I'm finished here," Ben snarled.

"Well, I'm not, your majesty," said Mal. "You know why? Because I want you to know what I want."

"Funny. You strike me as someone who drags a mystery on and on," Ben said sarcastically.

"True, but when the situation calls, I try to be an open book. _Try_ being the key word," said Mal.

"You surrender yourself to find my people. You escape while we were unaware. You send your people to kill us. You hold one of my friends as a prisoner. You take me here against my will. You really don't know how to make someone listen to you, do you?" Ben said.

"Believe me. I'm a lot more complicated than that," said Mal. "But you're right. I know I've given you no sign that I'm worth listening to. Every word that comes out of my mouth could be a lie or just some wicked wordplay to manipulate you. You're a smart boy, and I admire that. But you're going to hear what I'm going to say even if you won't like it."

"It's not like you're giving me much of a choice," said Ben.

Mal slowly walks closer towards the waters as Ben keeps his sword pointed at her. She touches the lake with her magic finger and the waters begin to show images that Mal wishes for Ben to see. Ben keeps a tight grip on his sword as he looks into the lake for what he must see. It was horrible, to say the least.

A young boy being forced to carry heavy loads for a ruthless man.

Innocent men and women used as slaves.

His own people imprisoned and being tortured.

"Stop it," Ben said, quivering due to the unsettling sights he is being forced to see. "Why are you showing me this?"

"Because I want to give you a reason to listen to me," said Mal.

"What, remind me that you're a big part in all of this misery?" Ben replied.

"Yes, I am!" Mal replied loudly. Technically, it's true. She created this world and subjected all these innocent people to a life of suffering. "But you need to listen first. Assumptions come afterwards."

Ben didn't say word. That means he was willing to listen, for now.

"Carlos. CJ. They turned on their kind because they believed there is more to life than being villains," Mal started. "You treat them like family while learning that some villains have a good side in them..."

"And you're saying you have one?" Ben questioned.

Mal was annoyed he cut her off, but she just continued.

"What I just showed you, all that suffering, let's say I have lost my taste for it," said Mal.

"You expect me to believe that you've grown a conscience?" Ben replied skeptically. "Carlos and CJ turned because of how their families treated them. Carlos was more of a slave than a son. CJ was showered with ridicule instead of love. But you, you have everything a villain kid can ask for. You're feared by everyone, respected by your peers, and your mother is impressed by you. You have no reason to turn on your people."

"Like I said, you can't assume to know what I'm thinking," said Mal. "Assumptions are welcome, but they mean nothing. You can't read my mind. I, on the other hand, know what's on my mind."

"Doesn't mean I have to believe you," said Ben.

"Wow, you are so stubborn," Mal said with a lighthearted tone.

"This isn't a joke," Ben said angrily. "You say you want to end the suffering of my people by giving them freedom. I say it's just a lie. You say that I can't know that because I don't know what's in your head. I say I have more than enough reasons to believe you will never help me and my people."

"And I thought I was complicated," Mal commented.

"Enough!" Ben shouted.

Ben stepped closer. His sword now closer to Mal's neck. Mal remains calm as she casually clicks her tongue.

"You feed me these lies and expect me to swallow them," Ben accused.

"But instead, you spit them back at my face," Mal said humorously. "But they're only lies because you assume they are."

"Stop talking," Ben growled.

"Care to make an assumption for this next question? Why is it that I haven't told my mother where the resistance hides?" Mal challenged.

"I... I... I don't know. I don't care. I know you'll tell them eventually," said Ben.

"You and your friends would be dead if it weren't for me," said Mal. "I don't want any of you dead. I don't care if you don't believe that. I know what I want to do with all of you."

"Your attempts of manipulation are futile," said Ben. "I will never betray my people."

"I'm not asking you to betray your people. I'm asking you to listen. Just listen," said Mal.

"I will never believe you," said Ben.

"I believe you," said Mal.

"Do you have any idea what I had to go through all these years?" Ben asked, gritting his teeth in anger. "I lost my parents when I was just a boy. I lost so many of my people on my watch. You cannot begin to imagine how much all that affected me. I'm sorry if I'm not so optimistic about another villain kid possibly going over to the good side."

"Even if it means you might get a chance to claim the crown?" Mal replied.

"Enough! Just enough. Stop it," Ben pleaded angrily. "This conversation is pointless."

"It's not pointless if it means keeping you from making reckless decisions in the future," said Mal. "Like it or not, believe it or not, I'm your only hope."

"You attempt all of this as if you think there is a chance me and my people would ever cooperate with you," said Ben.

"You're right. What I'm doing has a 0% chance of working," said Mal. "But I'd like to think it's more of 0.0001%. I'll take those chances."

"Nothing matters to me more than the safety of my people," said Ben. "Their freedom is all I'm trying to achieve. You and your mother your people won't let us have it. Why? Good vs. Evil. That's just how the world will always work, right? No chances of peace is what the world is trying to tell me, right? Well, I understand the message. But I have to try. My people count on me, rely on me, trust me to give them the freedom they deserve. I'm not gonna let your or any villain get in my way."

"Then kill me," Mal dared. "Or do you need Philip's sword to do that?"

"That sword is for your mother," said Ben.

"Then I guess you'll have to make do with that regular sword you're pointing at my throat right now," said Mal. "Go on. I'm literally giving you the chance."

"Without a fight? That's not fair," said Ben.

"You'd do it to my mom if you had the chance, won't you?" Mal questioned. "C'mon. You and your friends wanted to use against my mom. Take your chance."

Ben couldn't. As much as he wanted to, there was no way he was just gonna kill her without a fight. No matter how far gone he is, he hasn't gone far enough to the point where he would just murder someone in cold blood.

"Fine. Let me help you," said Mal.

Mal grabs Ben's sword and stabs herself in the stomach, much to Ben's shock. What's more shocking is that Mal looked like she barely felt anything. That sickly smirk on her face and the near-absence of reaction due to pain, it was scary. Ben tried to pull his sword back, but Mal wasn't ready to let go yet. Ben suddenly started feeling a strange feeling in his head. He closes his eyes as the pain in his head increased. First, a massive headache. Next, strange images.

CJ stabs Mal with her hook and then pushes her off Skull Rock and into the water to drown.

Even stranger, he remembered feeling... afraid. Afraid that she would die.

Mal removes the blade from her body upon noticing that this unexpected action of hers has triggered something in his brain. Ben opens his eyes to see that Mal's wound was healing fast. Once again, no reaction from Mal. She just stood there, as if she didn't just get stabbed.

"Did you see something?" Mal asked. "Something unusual. Something... that feels like a memory long forgotten?"

"Wha... what... what did you do to me?" Ben asked accusingly, feeling beyond confused.

"I just wanted to test a theory," said Mal. "But you did see something, didn't you?"

"I saw... I saw... something weird," Ben said, having trouble processing what he just saw.

Ben was overwhelmed, Mal could tell. He couldn't spit out a random hateful sentence due to the feeling of shock caused by what he saw. What he saw is what intrigued her.

"I know it may seem impossible for me to want to turn on my mother, but I want you to look back on this and ask yourself if I really am who you think I am," Mal said gravely and gently. "Yes, I have everything. I should want everything given to me on a silver platter. But it's just not what I want anymore. What I'm doing, talking to you, sparing your people, it's gonna cost a great dear. But it's a cost I'm willing to pay if it means putting an end to my mother's reign. If you won't listen, then we're all doomed."

Ben still couldn't speak due to what he saw.

"Let this sink in, your highness," said Mal. "This war can go on forever until every single good person in this world is either enslaved or killed. It's your choice whether or not to heed my words. Remember, I'm your only hope."

Mal magically removes the blood from Ben's sword before transporting Ben away.

"Hurry, Ben," Mal muttered hopefully.

* * *

Mal returned to her mother's castle. Since word of her battle with the resistance will eventually get out, she decided to go see her mother immediately. As usual, she's in the throne room sitting on that evil throne of hers. One hand on her scepter and petting Diablo with the other. She seemed preoccupied, though. Eyes closed with her thumb rubbing circles on the Dragon's Eye.

Sensing her daughter's presence, she opens her eyes and speaks to her.

"I heard you and your friends had a run-in with the resistance," said Maleficent. "Is this true?"

"It's true," said Mal. "We would've caught them, but my friends' incompetence allowed them to get away."

"Ugh, minions. Hard to rely on them sometimes, you know?" Maleficent said understandingly.

"Tell me about it," Mal pretended to agree.

Maleficent stands up and gives her daughter the disappointed look. "So, what are you gonna do now? You still won't tell us where they are, so we have to keep waiting on their next move instead of us making the first move. Honestly, I agreed we would do this your way, but after what happened today, I don't know if I can put up with this."

"There's another battle coming, mom," Mal predicted ominously. "I can feel it. It's coming. Us versus them. I don't know when or where, but it's coming. And this time, I'm gonna be sure it ends there."

"Can you promise that, Mal?" asked Maleficent.

"Well, I have confidence we will succeed," Mal said bluntly.

"Oh, don't tell it's this whole don't-make-promises-you-can't-keep philosophy?" Maleficent asked as she rolled her eyes.

"They're willing to fight 'til the end, but so are we," said Mal. "This isn't about promises. It's about preparation. They're strong, but we're stronger. We almost beat them today. We can sure as hell beat them next time."

Maleficent sits back down on her throne and says, "All the kingdoms are tightening their security because of what they've heard about today. I'm putting our people's future in your hands, Mal. Don't let me down."

"Since when have I ever?" Mal smirked.

Mal casually walks out of the throne room, almost looking like a high school teenage girl as she did.

Maleficent returns to what she was doing before her daughter walked in. Closing her eyes and using her scepter's dark powers, she tries to look further into the strange image that Mal had placed in her head. As she dug deeper, she started seeing more images. Images that felt like memories of the past. A past that doesn't even exist but somehow felt real. It confused Maleficent, but that's why she needed to dig deeper. To find out why she's seeing these images. Among the news images she is seeing are...

Her telling Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos that they're going to school at a place called "Auradon Prep."

The Royal Cotillion.

Mal, wearing a dress, sitting on a carriage with Prince Ben... she's watching it from the TV.

"What are you hiding, my dear little Mal?" Maleficent wondered. "Is this an attempt to mess with my head just for the sake of fun? Or is there something you're not telling me? None of these are real, yet... they feel real. And why do I get the feeling these mind images are linked to the reason you play these games with me and the resistance?"

Maleficent decides to make a call, via magic not technology. She sends three magic spheres across the kingdom. She creates three more just for herself; these three are linked to the other three like a video call. It's more comfortable for her. She contacts Evil Queen, Jafar, Hades, and Yzma.

 _"Make it quick, Maleficent. Zevon's making another mess that I have to care of," said Yzma._

 _"Hadie just came back with ghastly bruises. Those resistance fools will pay," Hades growled._

 _"I heard. Evie was so unladylike today, but she insisted on being a part of this fight" said Evil Queen._

 _"Well, Jay makes me proud. Teaching his future wife to be strong like him," said Jafar._

"Silence," Maleficent ordered.

Everyone silenced.

"We have to meet. Queen's castle. Midnight. Just the five of us," said Maleficent. "I think there might be a traitor among us."

 **There's uh-oh and then there's UH-OH (all caps).**

 **So, what do you think? Did Mal and Ben's conversation live up to your expectations? Did Mal using the sword on herself disturb you (if so, I'm sorry, but I did leave a warning above)? Don't be afraid to leave a review. I can take it.**


	13. A Missing Part of the Story

**We've spent every chapter focusing on Mal and her journey across this new world. Well, for this chapter, let's focus on Ben and the resistance. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, CarvieCamfia2, Mustang52, xez2003**

 ** _To Mustang52_: I thought kissing and holding hands is too cliche. I wanted to try other methods to trigger memories.**

In the wicked city that is Villainsville, Ben was out in disguise (a cloak) in order to steal more food for his people. He stole a sackful of fruit and vegetables before looking for a place to teleport back to the catacombs without being seen. However, he couldn't leave just yet because of what he's seeing. The good people of Auradon, the unlucky ones who couldn't escape with the king to the catacombs, were kept around as slaves. They were ordered around, beat up when they disobeyed or performed poorly, and subjected to back-breaking tasks. It was already hard enough for Ben to see his people be abused, but it was even harder today.

Why? Because of what happened to him last week.

It's been a week since his one-on-one conversation with the daughter of Maleficent at the Enchanted Lake. She had the audacity to show him his people suffering at the hands of the villains, the villains' sidekicks, and the evil common folk. She stabbed herself with his sword without batting an eye. It has haunted him night and day for the past seven days.

"Hey, boy!" A mean man shouted.

This mean man was pushing around a preteen boy who was his slave. All the boy did was drop one single apple from a basket and he gets hit because of it.

"I'm sorry," the boy apologized with fear.

"I said don't drop any. Remember that?!" The mean man yelled.

Ben didn't want to get involved. Okay, he always wanted to get involved, but his friends convinced him that it's not worth his life. Risking your life for the less fortunate is a very noble act, but the resistance needs Ben and that's why he had to listen to his friends.

However, that doesn't mean he can't help his people without being busted.

Ben sees a street vendor selling fruit. The vendor was currently staring into space for no reason. Ben steals one fruit and throws it at the mean man. He quickly runs behind a house so no one would know he did it.

"Hey, what's the big idea?!" The mean man shouted at the vendor.

"Uh, what's the big idea?" The vendor replied, confused.

Ben manages to pull the boy to a safe spot and gives him a vanishing potion. He even showed his face to him.

"Go. Run. There's a place on the forbidden island for us," said Ben.

"Thank you, your highness," said the boy.

The boy ran off to find a hidden place to use the potion. Ben smiled, glad that he did what he did. But now he had to bolt before he can be made.

* * *

Back to the catacombs beneath the Isle. Ben witnesses the little boy he saved reunite with his father and sister. It surely makes him happy to see a family reunited. True, it would hurt at the same time considering what happened to his parents, but he shouldn't take his frustration out on people who love their families. What's important is making sure his people don't suffer from what he has suffered.

"I see you ignored my advice of leaving stuff alone," Lonnie said, sounding both proud and disappointed.

"This man pushed him just for dropping one little apple. I couldn't just let that slide," said Ben.

"You've killed a few dozen evil minions and even had to leave some of your own men behind when they asked to be, but still, you're a sweet boy," said Lonnie.

"Like my parents raised me, and that's never gonna change," said Ben.

"I know it's hard just leaving your people alone to suffer, but we will free them one day, you know that," said Lonnie.

"And I have hope for that, Lonnie, but for now, all I can do is save as many as I can," said Ben.

"We can't save everyone," Lonnie said gravely.

"I know," Ben said sadly.

"I understand it's unsettling to hear me say stuff like this, Ben, but it's too hard trying to think of the world as full of rainbows now," said Lonnie. "If I find Shan Yu, I know it'll be hard to control myself. He killed my parents and I want nothing more than to do the same for him. But at least I'm aware of my weaknesses."

"That's the best we can all do for ourselves so we don't lose ourselves," said Ben.

"Did you find Carlos?" asked Lonnie.

"No," said Ben. "CJ's losing it, isn't she?"

"Oh, yeah," Lonnie confirmed. "Everyone's tried talking to her, but she just pushed everyone away."

"Never a good sign," said Ben. "I'll go talk to her."

"Good luck," said Lonnie.

Ben takes off the cloak and checks on the rest. On his way to find CJ, he sees Chad practicing his sword on a wooden dummy. The practice ends with Chad's sword getting wedged into the dummy's chest. It's stuck.

"And I thought Lonnie was supposed to be the aggressive one," Ben commented.

"Well, I have enough reasons to feel a little edgy today," said Chad.

"You're mad that I didn't use Mal as a message sooner," said Ben. "We're not monsters, Chad. We should be better than them."

"I know! I know. But still, you let her walk around this place like she's a guest and now look what happened. We almost died," said Chad. "The longer we sit here, the more we risk all of our lives."

"She hasn't ratted us out yet," said Ben.

"Yet," Chad emphasized. "What makes you so sure she won't?"

"I don't know," said Ben. "But, Chad, I let my anger and desperation get the best of me last week. I have to think clearly this time before we go out there again."

"Well, I did think you overreacted a little when Mal escaped," said Chad. "But you have to think about our victory, Ben. We were so close last week and now we're back to Step 1."

"We've been waiting for 16 years, Chad. The best we can do is wait a little longer," said Ben.

"As long as we don't lose anyone else," said Chad.

Ben moves on. CJ was clearly nowhere at the usual spot she frequents. His guess is that she's somewhere where she can be angry all by herself with no one to try and talk to her. So, he heads deeper in to the catacombs. He made another stop when he saw Jane stressing out over what to cook for the orphans. It was both funny and worrying to see her like this.

"You know, you don't have to feel like this is a task required by the universe, right?" Ben said.

"I know I shouldn't, but... I just feel like the villains could come bursting in any minute now," Jane said distressingly.

"Jane, I understand it's upsetting and frightening to know that someone could reveal our location, but in here, we can't feel fear all the time," said Ben.

"Shouldn't we be looking for a new place?" Jane asked, still sounding afraid.

"We will, but not yet," said Ben. "I... need more time to recover."

"Recover from what?" asked Jane. "What did Mal do to you?"

"Worry more about feeding the orphans. I gotta go find CJ," said Ben.

"Oh, about CJ... you many not want to do that," Jane advised. "She's really, really upset."

"Which is why I have to talk to her," said Ben.

"Ben," Jane called. "Don't be afraid to ask for my help. Even though I'd rather stay here, be safe, and help everyone down here, I don't like sitting here knowing you and the others are out there risking your lives. I know I'm not the bravest, but I know I can help you."

"I'll try to keep that in mind," said Ben.

Soon enough, Ben found someone who found CJ. It was Scarlet, the daughter of Robin Hood and Maid Martian. She was watching CJ from the distance. CJ was just pacing back and forth, probably muttering angry complaints about

"She really loves him," Scarlet said.

"But so do you," said Ben. "He's your brother."

"I know," said Scarlet. "But I know we will see him again. CJ, however, is not so hopeful especially when it comes to Mal."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Ben asked. "I know you're hopeful, but are you really okay?"

"Believe me, I'm am so, so, so worried about him, but there's no point losing my mind over it," said Scarlet. "Like Mom and Dad said, whether things become better or worse, you have to fight to get what you want. And I will, but I have to be patient."

"Carlos would be proud to hear that," said Ben.

"I know," said Scarlet. "Look, if you're gonna try to talk to CJ, don't be so gentle. Sometimes, being a little aggressive helps you get through to her."

Scarlet leaves so Ben can speak with CJ with no eavesdroppers. Ben had to approach her gently. Scarlet said he shouldn't be too gentle, but he had to start gentle because CJ definitely looked like she would punch anyone who would try to talk to her. Despite the gentle approach, CJ pointed his sword at Ben, startling him a little. Ben didn't move as he let CJ speak first, for both their sakes.

"I know what you're gonna say, Ben. You're gonna tell me to have hope, have faith, and all that stuff," said CJ. "But hope and faith can't change the fact that you just let Mal keep Carlos!"

"She didn't give me a choice or a chance," said Ben.

"You're supposed to be our leader, Ben. You look out for all of us, protect us, and make sure we're all safe," CJ retorted. "But Carlos is anything but safe now."

"CJ, last week, I got a real close look at who Mal is. I know how dangerous she can be. We all have the right to be worried about Carlos, but there's no point in losing our sanity over this," said Ben.

Next thing you know, CJ's fist makes contact with Ben's face.

"Don't you talk to me about sanity," said CJ.

Ben massages his slightly bruised cheek and asks, "Is there something going on I don't know about?"

CJ's eye and lips twitched in response, as if the word "sanity" triggered something in her.

"Let's just say I'm not as controlled as I appear," CJ said vaguely. "Carlos. He helps me control myself. Another reason I love him. He knows what's best for me and I can count of him to know what's best for me."

"I can't promise we'll get him back soon, but one day... one day... he'll be here ready for a hug and a kiss from his girlfriend," Ben promised.

"Be sure you live up to that promise," CJ said rather threateningly as she sheathed her sword. "Or I'll go out there and get him myself."

"We almost got killed or captured last time you did that," Ben reminded as her raised his voice. "We can't afford that much exposure again. Before you know it, then this place will be invaded."

"Mal knows where we are," CJ argued. "I know her. She's diabolical, methodical, and not afraid to take risks. She's either playing a long game with us or she's waiting for us to slip so she can take her chance."

"Believe me. That's what I'm afraid of," said Ben. "Just lie down and rest. It's not advise, CJ. I insist you rest. You need to calm down."

CJ groans and says, "Fine. I'm gonna go take a nap. Better hope I don't have any nightmares."

CJ walked away to return to her spot in the catacombs. Ben sighs a "what am I gonna do with her" kind of sigh. CJ's a good girl (good-ish), but without Carlos, she is potentially dangerous.

* * *

Ben returned to his spot and sat down to think. Unfortunately, all he could think about was his talk with Mal last week. How unafraid she was with a sword pointed at her. How bold she was to show him how his people were suffering. The fearful image of her piercing herself with his sword just to prove a point. Her claim of wishing the best for his people. It's all too much for him to feel calm these days.

"You look stressed."

Ben's girlfriend, Audrey, approached him. She looked concerned, as he expected anyone to look when they see him at this state.

"Just waiting for the inevitable invasion can do that to you," said Ben.

"You've been distant, Ben," said Audrey. "You've barely talked to anyone. You spend most of your time moping here in your spot. Not to mention you've been ignoring me."

"I'm... I'm sorry," Ben apologized. "I-I hadn't noticed."

"Ben, what did Mal do to you?" Audrey asked curiously and with concern. "And don't dodge the question this time. You've done that three times in the past week, but I'm not gonna let you dodge it again. What did she do to you?"

Ben stands up and stares off into space. Should he tell her? It might complicate things, but she's clearly very worried about him. As her boyfriend, he had no right to keep that way.

"Last week, I had my sword pointed at Mal," Ben started. "She didn't even flinch. Then she just grabbed it and just impaled herself with it."

Audrey gasped, horrified.

"She didn't even feel a thing," said Ben.

"So, you're afraid," Audrey guessed.

"That's not all," said Ben. "She told me that she had a change of heart. She said she wants to remove her mother from her throne."

"Wha... is she... Ben, you can't honestly say you believe her?" Audrey reacted.

"I don't believe her," said Ben.

"But?" asked Audrey.

"I don't know, Audrey, but... I think I know her," said Ben. "And not just like by name or by reputation, but like... I did know her."

"Where is all this coming from?" asked Audrey.

"I saw something in my head. I watched her die, Audrey. And I felt... odd about it," said Ben.

"She never died, Ben. She's messing with your head. Isn't that obvious?" Audrey said.

"Believe me. That's what I thought too. But then I had Fairy God Mother do a magical checkup on my brain. I'm fine," said Ben. "I don't know how or why, but I knew Mal. What I saw, it felt like a memory long forgotten."

"So, what? You're saying that you knew her in the past, but either her or someone else removed that memory from your head?" Audrey asked sarcastically, thinking he's gone crazy. "Ben, she surrendered herself just to find out where we hide. She wants to use us as an example to make this entire kingdom fear her more when she takes over her mother's position."

"I know how all this sounds, Audrey," said Ben. "I don't trust Mal. Not one bit. There is no way I would ever believe she would want to turn on her mother. But there is a missing story here somewhere. And I can't move on without finding out."

"Maybe you need a longer rest," Audrey suggested as she massaged Ben's shoulders. "Let Lonnie take charge of things for a while, at least until you're ready to let this go."

"That's the problem. I can't let it go," said Ben. "I don't understand what is going on, Audrey. Something weird but big is going on and Mal is at the center of it."

Ben sighs calmly upon realizing how he's affecting Audrey.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "Mal may be messing with my head, but something tells me it's more than that. I'm just afraid that I'm gonna fail us."

"Ben, you live with that fear every day, but that's what you use to motivate yourself," said Audrey.

"I know, but this is different," said Ben. "Maybe I do believe Mal. I don't know how I could ever, but like I said, there's more to this story than it appears."

"Forget about Mal. Forget about what she did to you. You're down here with your people. With me," said Audrey. "What you need is to lie down, rest, and think about our freedom. You made your parents a promise at their funeral, and you've done everything to fulfill that promise. Don't tell me you're gonna stop now."

"Never," Ben said determinedly.

Audrey smiles and kisses Ben.

"And that's why we're together," said Audrey. "Just remember where your heart lies."

"I do remember. My heart lies with my people and with you," said Ben.

Audrey hugs Ben. His smile says he appreciates her concern. Ironically, he's the one who's losing himself lately. What with worrying about Mal's next move and his people's future, he felt like he had no right lecturing anyone about losing their sanity. Good thing Audrey is here to remind him what he's living for.

The hug would've lasted longer had Eleanor not shown up.

"Uh, Ben," she started. "Sorry to interrupt... this... but Fairy God Mother is calling for you. It's about Mal."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Ben follows Eleanor as she leads him to Fairy God Mother. Eleanor is an intriguing girl, if Ben had to admit. For someone who is on a wheelchair, she insisted on being one of the people in charge with taking care of the people. She helps with the meals, the laundry, and healthcare.

"By the way, I never got to thank you for last week," said Ben. "If you hadn't told us about Carlos and CJ, I hate to imagine what would've happened to them."

"You gave me a home here. I owe you for the rest of my life," said Eleanor.

"If all goes well, we can all have a proper home," said Ben.

"Ben, can I ask you a question?" asked Eleanor.

Ben nods.

"Do you ever feel like your parents' expectations weigh too much on your shoulders?" asked Eleanor.

"Why do you ask?" Ben replied, trying to understand the question first.

"Let's just say my mom abandoning me was a test, and I need to pass it. Too much pressure and that was before I was on this wheelchair," said Eleanor. "How do you handle it?"

"Is what your mother asking of you too much?" Ben wondered.

" _Too_ too much," Eleanor said.

"Then you just have to know if it's worth the risks you take," said Ben. "If it's the right thing, then you have to do it. But you also have a choice. You can shoulder the responsibility your mother put on you or you can put it down if it will only hurt you trying too hard. I never got that choice since my people need me, but it sounds like you need to make a choice."

"Well, being on this wheelchair doesn't do me any favors. I don't think I'll even be able to do what my mom wants of me," Eleanor said sadly, just so Ben wouldn't ask her what this big task is.

* * *

Eleanor leads Ben to Fairy God Mother, who was checking up on the cell that once held Mal a week ago. Eleanor eavesdrops from around a corner as Ben discusses with Fairy God Mother about what she is looking at.

"Something wrong, Fairy God Mother?" asked Ben.

"There is no way Mal should've escaped from the cell," said Fairy God Mother. "My magic should've kept her in there for as long as we wanted it to. Yet, she somehow steals my wand and frees herself."

"Did you find something?" asked Ben.

"If Mal used my wand, some of her own magic would've rubbed off on it. But there was none when I found it in the cell," said Fairy God Mother.

"So, Mal didn't use the wand," Ben thought.

"But someone else did," said Fairy God Mother. "Ben, I don't mean to sound paranoid and untrusting, but don't you think it's odd that Carlos has been drawn to her as of late? He believes she is trying to reform. He leaves without letting us know and just happens to run into Mal. And she decides to keep him prisoner."

"Are you insinuating that he could be a traitor?" asked Ben. "You checked on him. She had no influence on him."

"No _magical_ influence, to be precise," said Fairy God Mother. "But what if she influenced him with just words?"

Ben thinks about it. No one should be able to overcome Fairy God Mother's magic. Mal escaped the cell anyway. Fairy God Mother's wand was left inside the cell. _Maybe Fairy God Mother has a point_ , Ben thought.

"If so, then don't tell CJ about this," said Ben. "We can't let her know of our suspicions until those suspicions have been confirmed."

 **Ben and Fairy God Mother are onto Carlos. That's not good. Then again, so many not-good things have been happening in this story and my entire Descendants series.**

 **When I return, we'll be returning to Mal and Carlos.**


	14. Remembering

**Why would Mal keep Carlos? Well, read and find out. Enjoy. Also enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, CarvieCamfia2**

Ever since the battle at Faraway Cove that is now "trending," Mal decided to keep Carlos close to her until she can find what she's looking for with him. She kept him in a secret hatch in her room that not even her mother knows about. The space was big enough for a bed and a spot for crafting arrows. A sound-proof barrier guards the room so no one can hear any kind of noise from inside, whether it's a bump, a scream, or an explosion. It's been a week and so far, the only complaint he has is that she's doing this to him. It made him feel like a prisoner, the last thing she wanted him to feel. She can give him all the food he wants and he'd still feel the same way.

Today, Mal is serving him strawberries and chocolate bars. She opens the hatch and jumps into the secret room. She finds Carlos crafting arrows with weirdly shaped tips. One arrow's tip looked like a dragon.

"That's cute," said Mal.

Carlos didn't say word.

"Look, I get it. You feel like a prisoner here and I'm really sorry for making you feel that way," said Mal. "But the sooner I get what I want, you can go."

"And what do you want?" asked Carlos.

"When I kissed you last week, you remembered something. Although, judging by your half-hostile behavior towards me, it didn't work completely," said Mal. "And I thought true love's kiss works every time."

"Is that what we were in this lost chapter? Lovers?" Carlos asked.

"You tell me," Mal replied.

"You kissed me and called it true love's kiss, so... as ludicrous as it sounds, it's hard to deny it," said Carlos.

"Well, lucky for you, we broke up, so that should make this easier," said Mal.

"I hate to ask, but why?" Carlos asked curiously.

"That's for me to know and you to remember," said Mal.

"Well, I'm sorry. I've been trying to remember, but I can't," said Carlos. "Can't you just let me go? CJ and the others are probably worried sick."

"Oh, they are," said Mal. "But I need you to cooperate with me. Now, think. Was there anything else I did to you that triggered these strange images in your head? When I held your hand? When I held on to you while we zipped across the lake? When I took you to see Evie?"

As Mal went on, Carlos placed a hand on his right shoulder. He can still remember the pain of Mad Maddy's bite and Mal's attempt at cauterizing the bite wound.

"When I healed your shoulder," Mal realized. "What did you see?"

"Christmas," Carlos started. "You were wearing that lovely dress. And I wanted to tell you something. My mind didn't exactly tell me what. I'm assuming it's along the lines of I love you or something like that. And then you just kissed me."

"You remember the kiss, but not what you told me?" asked Mal.

"What, did I say the three words in a different way?" Carlos replied.

Mal sighs. He's remembering, but not enough. However, an idea did pop in her head. She sits down next to him, shoulder to shoulder, much to his discomfort and prepares to do something magical.

"Okay, look, this is gonna hurt, like, a lot," said Mal. "But it may just help."

"Is pain the key to restoring my memories?" asked Carlos.

"I had to stab myself in front of Ben to get him to remember something, so I say it's about who I inflict pain to," Mal said casually.

"You stabbed yourself?" Carlos asked, surprised. "Are you... are you okay?"

"You can stab me through the heart with a plain old sword and I'll just rip it off my chest like a needle. I'm fine," said Mal.

"Boy, I'm so glad you're on our side," Carlos replied, half-scared.

"At least you believe that," Mal said, feeling glad.

"You used one of my smokescreen arrows to help my friends escape. I can't lie about feeling thankful for that," Carlos said with a little smile.

Mal was about to do something with her magic, until heard someone knocking on her door. _Damn it_ , she muttered. _Not now_ , she added. She had to leave the secret room to answer the door. Carlos, meanwhile, starts eating the food he has been served. Once he tasted his first chocolate bar, he's instantly hooked.

Mal opens the door and finds a Knucklehead standing right there.

"Your mother wishes to speak to you," said the knucklehead.

"Can it wait five more minutes?" Mal asked hopefully.

"She says now, I'm afraid," said the knucklehead. "And that she would have my head if I came to her without you."

"Over-the-top, but fine," said Mal. "But trust me. My threats would be way worse, so pray you never cross me."

As soon as Mal was out of sight, the Knucklehead dropped his stoic face and replaced it with a scared expression. When Mal says something threateningly, you should be scared. Always.

* * *

Mal finds her mom in the throne room, as always. Mal's beginning to wonder, is the throne room her mother's bedroom? Instead of finding her sitting on her throne, she finds her mother standing up and looking down at the little crater in the middle of the room, which is, for some reason, glowing green.

"Ah, Mal. There you are," Maleficent said with a smile.

"You look happy," said Mal.

"Oh, indeed I am," said Maleficent.

"What's with the light show?" Mal asked, gesturing to the green glowing crater.

"Oh, let's just say I found a way to draw out the Resistance," said Maleficent. "I had a little meeting with some of my fellow villains, and we've come up with a way to lure them out to the open."

"16 years and you think now is your lucky day?" Mal questioned, trying to sound intrigued rather than worried.

"Oh, it is," said Maleficent. "Now, I can't share with you the juicy details until the spell is complete, but I will tell is that it will be ready by tonight."

"Tonight?" Mal asked, sounding surprised. "So close to the end, huh?"

"So close to the end, my dear Mal," Maleficent said, pinching her daughter's cheek. "16 years of searching and searching and searching and fighting them when they come out of the open only to take down a few every time, but now, our full victory is upon us. And you will be there by my side as we show them that they were foolish to ever have hope."

"Yeah, that's all and good, but what happened to letting me take care of the Resistance?" Mal asked, now sounding rather upset.

"Oh, don't look so mad, Mal. I just thought this could use a bit of a rushing," said Maleficent. "Your recent run-ins with the Resistance gave me the idea that would finally let us find them. But don't worry. I'll only do the finding. You'll be the one leading the attack."

"But still, you went against my wishes and did this without letting me know first," Mal said, her anger boiling further slowly.

"I am still the ruler of this kingdom, Mal. I make the calls. Besides, you still get to use them as an example," said Maleficent. "Doesn't that make this sound better?"

Mal still refused to smile.

"You're finally going to get the chance to bring down the Resistance and further prove why you're my daughter. Why isn't that enough for you?" asked Maleficent.

"Because I feel like you really don't want me to have my way," Mal said with a glare. "You tell me you're gonna let me do this my way, and then you do this behind my back. Am I your daughter or not?"

"Mal, this is our moment. We can't just give this up because you want to have it your way, even though you can still have it your way," said Maleficent.

Mal's magically lit hand curls into a fist, causing the ground beneath them to crack due to a split second mini-quake. Maleficent was a little startled, but she tried not to look like it. Mal's eyes glowed green as she tried to contain her temper. Uncurling her fist and taking deep breaths, her eyes stopped glowing and the magical glow in her hand ceased.

"We are not done talking about this," Mal said with soft fury.

"Well, of course not. We still have to finish the spell," said Maleficent. "Maybe we can add a little..."

"No," Mal interrupted. "You went against my wishes after you made a promise to me. You may be my mother, but you don't get to make my choices for me. I'm not a baby anymore, Mom! I specifically said I'd take care of this. I know where they are. I know what to do. You do not get to engage them just because you're losing your patience."

"I am losing my patience, Mal," Maleficent said loudly. "Every minute you waste sitting there in your room plotting who knows what, the Resistance come close to evading us again."

"And you actually expected me to be okay with this?" Mal questioned.

"Aren't you just itching to get your claws on them, Mal?" asked Maleficent.

"Of course I am," Mal answered. "But even a villain like me knows when to take my time and strike when I'm ready."

"This isn't chess, Mal," said Maleficent.

"Well, then you're playing this game wrong," said Mal.

Mal storms out of the room, not wanting to discuss this matter any further. What she failed to see is her mother's sinister smile, which showed up as soon as she slammed the door behind her. Maleficent seemed content with what just happened, despite the mother-daughter argument. The Mistress of Evil sits back down on her throne and pets Diablo.

"That worked out better than I expected," said Maleficent. "She thinks she can play us like chess pieces? Let's see how she feels being a piece on the board herself."

* * *

Mal returned to the secret room in her bedroom. She finds Carlos just sitting there doing nothing. The chocolate bars on his plate were all gone, but none of the strawberries have been touched. Apparently, in any world, Carlos would still be so into chocolate. He even has a little bit on his face. Mal giggled in amusement.

"Hey, you got a little something..." She pointed to the side of her lip.

Carlos wipes the chocolate off his face. Strangely, though, he didn't eat it. He just cleaned it off with a napkin. So, he's crazy enough to eat all the chocolate from the plate and not even bother to wipe his face clean, but when he does, he doesn't eat the chocolate off his hand. That's a sign that whatever he's thinking now must be bothering him so much. She sits down next to him so she can console him.

"You okay?" Mal asked.

"Do you ever wonder how I would react if I remember this missing part of the story?" Carlos replied. "I mean, what makes you so sure that me remembering whatever I forgot will be a good thing? Maybe I forgot about them for a good reason. Okay, so maybe it would've helped me see your true colors, but you get what I'm saying."

"For one thing, remembering everything would remove all doubts you have about me," said Mal.

"This missing part of the story... were we really that close?" asked Carlos.

"Yes. For better or worse. You once told me that I don't need you. I had to do something melodic to show you that I do," said Mal.

"And even if I do remember everything, what then?" asked Carlos.

"Same as always. I help the Resistance kick my mom's old butt off that evil throne," said Mal.

"And you plan on sitting on that evil throne?" Carlos asked. "Because if it were up to me..."

"Ben would be the one sitting on that throne," Mal interrupted. "But for now, he won't even give me the chance. Can't say I blame him. I'm the daughter of the villain who killed his parents. So much anger, yet so much goodness."

"Ben's anger tends to get in his way a lot," said Carlos. "In spite of all the wrongdoings he had to commit to survive, his heart is still as pure as his mother's. In spite of that, it's hard to escape the dark side when the world is... like this."

"I know," said Mal.

"How do you do it?" asked Carlos. "I understand wanting redemption, but you? You have, well, everything."

"And nothing at the same time," Mal said sadly. "This missing chapter in the story, it's the best part of my life. And it's gone now. I can't ever bring it back, but maybe I can bring back the people I lost. Like you."

"Why me?" asked Carlos.

"Hey, you ambushed me in my sleep. If it had been Evie or Ben, they'd be in your position," said Mal.

"Evie? Ben? H-How..." Carlos was baffled.

"You'll find out soon," said Mal. "That is, if you want to. I don't want to force it on you if you really don't want it."

"A piece of my life is missing and I'm conflicted," said Carlos. "On the one hand, even though I'm living in this nightmarish world, I have a girlfriend who I love very much, friends who trust me. On the other, wondering about what I'm missing is gonna bug me until the end of time."

"If you don't want it, then I can let you go," said Mal. "Like you said, your friends, sister, and girlfriend must be worried sick. I'm just so desperate to get things working my way, I basically kidnapped you... again. Even in my purest intentions, I keep doing something bad. Very bad."

"Desperation can be a very crippling weakness," said Carlos.

"You know that I don't want all this. I regret my hand in this nightmare so much, I even considered just leaving Auradon to start over somewhere else," said Mal. "But here I am. I know my desire for redemption sounds sudden, but..."

"I need to remember in order to understand," Carlos said.

"Only if you want to remember," said Mal. "Your choice. I'm not gonna force it on you like I was just about to before we were interrupted."

Mal surprised herself that she was even saying this. She knew helping Carlos remember everything would benefit her so much. But then she remembered that this is the New World Carlos. He has his own wants and needs. His life is almost entirely different from Old World Carlos. He lives a miserable life, but he has the love and support of the Resistance that keeps him from falling deeper into the abyss. She couldn't force his old life on him if it won't change anything. Sure, it would change things, but to what extent?

"What about the others?" Carlos asked. "Are we all part of this missing chapter?"

Mal nodded and said, "Everyone."

"Then this is bigger than just me," said Carlos. "I'm gonna be honest. I'm scared, Mal. I'm scared of what I'll find. I'm scared of what it'll do to me, if it'll turn me into something I'm not. But I guess only you really know that."

Mal nodded again.

"Tell me. How much does this mean to you?" asked Carlos.

"The world," Mal answered. "I would do anything it takes to get my old world back, even if that old world is cursed to be stuck in this evil reality. It's better than being alone, being the only one who remembers a time when things were better than now."

"Then do it," said Carlos. "If it really means that much to you."

"Are you sure about that?" asked Mal.

"This is gonna hurt, right?" Carlos replied.

"It's gonna leave a nasty mark," said Mal. "But I know it'll work."

"Then I trust you," said Carlos.

Mal smiles as she begins conjuring magic. Fire magic, to be precise. A fiery "M" appeared on the palm of her hand.

"I'm really sorry to do this to you again," Mal said.

"Again?" Carlos asked, confused.

Quickly, Mal puts her hand on Carlos' shoulder, burning it with the fiery M on her hand, causing him to scream in pain. Thank goodness for the sound-proof barrier. But back to the screaming... it hurts. It hurts so much. Mal's fire magic burned through Carlos' skin and it hurt like hell.

But as his shoulder burned, more images popped into his head. So many memories coming back to him.

Auradon Prep.

Dude.

Him and Jay playing Tourney.

Coronation.

Chillin' Like a Villain.

Asking Jane out to Cotillion.

Uma's transformation.

Mal transforms into a dragon.

The battle at the Sea of Storms.

All the kisses he and Mal shared.

Shy.

The Wishing Well.

And many more.

Mal stops casting fire and replaces it with healing magic. Carlos stopped screaming when he felt his shoulder feeling better. After the healing process was done, Mal removed her hand from his shoulder. Carlos looked at his shoulder to see that she indeed left a mark.

"M"

And that triggered the next memory. When Mal carved that mark on his shoulder when they were younger.

Carlos turns his head towards Mal, who looked at him with perturbation and caution. He looked at her the same way. Their eyes never left each other's for a long time. They were just waiting for the other to say something first. When Mal's expression turned into worry, it had Carlos worried. But then he smiled.

"I don't want to hate you anymore," he said.

Mal smiled a big smile. Those were the words. Those were the exact same words he said to her before she kissed him for the first time. Overcome with joy, Mal embraced Carlos very tightly as she cried tears of joy. Carlos hugged her as well as he too cried tears of joy. Everything that was missing, it's all come back to him. He remembers everything. Everything.

The hug lasted for a long time. And it had every reason to last that long. Mal missed the real Carlos, and Carlos just opened his eyes for the first time after what he felt was 16 years of misery in this new world.

* * *

Later that day, Mal had to leave when Jay called her, asking her to meet The Dragons at Gothel's Hideaway (the tower where she kept Rapunzel prisoner for years). The Dragons wanted to help Jay prepare for his wedding with Evie, which is coming in two weeks. When she showed up at the place, there was no one there. She waited... and waited... and waited... for thirty minutes. No one showed up.

"What the hell, Jay?" Mal muttered, annoyed.

Mal takes out her phone and calls Jay. Unfortunately...

 _"This is Jay. Sorry I can't talk to you now. Just leave a message and I'll catch up with you later."_

Mal growled.

"Wait a minute?" She said.

Mal calls Freddie.

 _"Whaddup, Mal?" Freddie answered._

"Freddie, did Jay tell you to meet up at Gothel's Hideaway to help him with his wedding?" Mal asked.

"No, why?" Freddie replied.

"Mother of a... mother!" Mal cursed. "Gotta go."

Mal hangs up on Freddie and teleports back to her mother's castle.

She rushes to her room, only to see that her secret hatch has been discovered. It's open. She jumps inside only to see that Carlos is not there. His arrows are scattered on the floor. One arrow was snapped in half. There was a burning crack on the wall. Mal fires a magic blast at the wall to see if her suspicions were right. The burning crack that her magic blast caused looked exactly the same as the crack next to it.

"Carlos... no," Mal muttered in terror. "Mom, what are you up to?"

 **I know I've said this before, but... UH-OH!**

 **Next chapter may take a while to write, because it's gonna be big.**


	15. War

**Last time we left off, Maleficent has Carlos and could be doing who knows what to him. Well, time to find out. Brace yourselves, like, seriously. But enjoy.**

 **A/N: Just to tell you in advance, there may be some flipping back and forth between past and present (via flashbacks), so keep an eye for italicized text saying "five minute earlier" or "back to the present" or something like that. I just don't want anyone to get lost.**

 **WARNING: Violence! Read at your own risk (just in case, 'cause I can be paranoid at times). You may hate me.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the most recent reviews: DragonEmperor999, Oliviabensonlovesu, CarvieCamfia2, jessicabiggs16, xez2003**

 ** _To DragonEmperor999_: Nothing good, for sure.**

 ** _To Oliviabensonlovesu_: Fingers crossed.**

On the shore overlooking the Isle, there stood Maleficent and the rest of her fellow villains and their sidekicks (at least, those who have sidekicks). Evil Queen. Jafar. Hades. Cruella De Vil. Captain Hook and his pirate crew. Shan Yu and the Huns. Dr. Facilier and his shadows. Mother Gothel. Ursula and her pet eels Flotsam and Jetsam. Clayton. Gaston and his men. Madam Mim. Yzma and Kronk. Judge Claude Frollo. Sheriff Nottingham and his soldiers. Maleficent brought her goblins and Knuckleheads along for what's coming next.

The villain kids were there as well. Evie. Uma. Harry. Harriet. Gil. Zevon. Clay Clayton. Every single member of The Dragons (except for Mal). Uma and Harriet brought their respective pirate crews.

"So, this where they've been hiding the whole time?" Evil Queen started.

"16 years of searching and we never thought of looking beneath the island," said Jafar.

"I guess it's true what they say. Villains are stupid."

That insult came from Carlos De Vil. That insult earned him a slap to the face by none other than his mother, Cruella De Vil. That slap was nothing compared to what he's been through since his capture. His wrists are burning from his ties, his face is covered in bruises, and his body aches so much that he can barely stand. If the slap to the face did not hurt, just looking at his mother face-to-face does.

"You disappoint, you little ingrate," said Cruella.

"I disappoint you? Well, news flash, I don't care," said Carlos. "The resistance, they gave me more love than you ever did. They made me feel like I was part of a family, unlike you."

"Well, your so-called _family_ is about to meet their end," said Hades.

"It's such a shame that one of us can become one of _them_ ," said Harry.

"Don't forget CJ," said Harriet.

"Hey, where's Mal?" Jay wondered. "Shouldn't she be leading us? Leading the VK charge, I meant."

"I'm sorry to reveal this to you all, but Mal cannot be with us because she has betrayed us," said Maleficent.

"WHAT?!" All those who didn't know exclaimed.

"She's gone soft and is trying to help the resistance overthrow us," said Maleficent.

Some of the VKs laughed, unable to take this ludicrous claim seriously.

"I'm sorry, Your Malevolence, but... how is that possible?" Uma asked. "She would never do that. She's your daughter. The worst of the new generation."

"I don't know, but I have enough reasons to believe she has turned on us," said Maleficent. "Why do you think she was so hellbent on keeping Cruella's son alive?"

"Torture?" Gil guessed.

"Well, the only sign of pain I saw when I found him is that shoulder burn," said Maleficent. "If Mal was really the worst, she would have done way worse. She's holding back. I know it."

"M," Evie read the scar. "I know she has an ego, but why _M_?"

"She never gave anyone the mark before? I guess she's not the Mal I remember," Carlos replied rather lightheartedly.

"What are you talking about?" asked Evie.

"Don't you ever feel like something is wrong with your life?" Carlos asked. "Like something, or someone, isn't who you think it is..."

"Don't listen to him, Evie. He's trying to get you to turn on us," Evil Queen said to her daughter.

Harry was now feeling disillusioned and betrayed. Mal, the woman he loves, is working with the resistance? _How can such a thing be_ , he wondered. It's about as possible as LeFou being able to juggle multiple eggs into his mouth.

"Are you okay?" Uma asked her first mate.

"How can she do this? To me? Was my love not enough for her?" Harry wondered sadly.

"You can ask her if we see her," said Uma.

"Well, she'll be here soon. So we better get moving," said Maleficent.

Using her scepter, Maleficent magically teleports everyone on the Isle. The search begins. The Resistance's doom is coming and Maleficent wants to witness it immediately. She only wished that her daughter could be here to relish this moment with her. Unfortunately, her daughter has allied herself with the enemy. She closes her eyes and thinks back to last week when she held a private meeting.

* * *

 _One week ago..._

In Evil Queen's castle at midnight, Maleficent is having a private meeting in the throne room with Evil Queen, Jafar, Hades, and Yzma. No witnesses and no eavesdroppers were a priority. No word of this meeting goes out unless Maleficent says so. Only the five villains in the room can know what is being discussed at this moment. After sending all of her guards to the dungeon, Evil Queen returned to the throne room to being the meeting.

"All of my men are in the dungeon and my daughter is out on a midnight stroll with her future husband," Evil Queen reported. "So, shall we begin?"

"We shall," said Maleficent.

"So, what is so important that you had us up at midnight?" asked Yzma.

"I believe I said it before. There is a traitor among us," Maleficent reminded. "Someone working with the resistance in order to bring us down."

"Well, who is it?" asked Jafar.

"My daughter," Maleficent answered after a long silence.

There was another long silence. That silence was ended by... laughter. Hysterical laughter, like the kind after your heard something ridiculous, something impossible to believe.

"You called us here for a joke, Maleficent?" Evil Queen questioned, despite feeling amused.

"This is a serious matter, Queen. No time for jokes," said Maleficent.

As he tried to stop laughing, Jafar said, "As ridiculous as that sounds, what possible reason could your daughter have to betray you? She's the up and coming ruler, isn't she?"

"I don't know, but I know she has no intention of taking down the resistance," said Maleficent. "She claims that her reason for not telling us where they hide is because she wants to use them as an example. But lately, I'm suspecting that she's protecting them."

"Do you hear yourself, Maleficent?" Evil Queen questioned. "How could you doubt your own daughter?"

"Believe me, I keep asking myself that every second," said Maleficent. "But if there is even a slight chance that my daughter is plotting against us, I can't just let her play us."

"If this matter is that big, why aren't we holding a meeting with all the villains?" asked Jafar.

"Because I want to keep this as isolate as I can until I'm ready to spread the word," said Maleficent. "The less know, the better. But I can't be the only one who has any suspicions of this."

"What exactly are your suspicions?" asked Yzma.

"You all heard about the fight at Faraway Cove? My daughter brought home a prisoner. Cruella's son," said Maleficent.

"I thought he was dead," said Yzma.

"More like he ran away," said Jafar.

"What is it about your daughter keeping Cruella's son as a prisoner that makes you suspicious?" asked Evil Queen.

"For one thing, she won't tell me where she hiding him," said Maleficent. "But that's not the point here. The point is that my daughter has a prisoner who can tell us where the resistance hides. We just have to find a way to get her away from him until we find out where he is."

"What do we do?" asked Evil Queen.

Maleficent gave orders. "Queen, I need you to send that raven of yours to spy on Mal. She already caught Diablo, so I need a new spy. Yzma, Jafar, Hades, I need you to all whip me up a magical concoction that will destroy the resistance in an instant. Think of anything and pitch 'em to me. But make sure you cloud its purpose. Mal can sense magic on an unusually strong level. Mal can never know what this concoction does."

"Assuming your daughter truly is a traitor, what does she have to gain from allying with the resistance?" asked Jafar.

"Her motive is a mystery even to me, but I can smell a betrayal a mile away," said Maleficent.

Maleficent couldn't tell them of the memories that her daughter has (unknowingly) given her, so she had to act even more clueless (since Mal's motive is still a mystery to her as well) than she is to Mal's schemes in order to convince her fellow villains to cooperate. They all nodded. It worked.

* * *

 _Back to the present_

The villains searched the empty buildings that were built on the Isle, but there was nothing. Not yet, at least. Maleficent's goblins were ordered to guard Carlos, who was still tied up and beat up. Torture really messed him up, but he didn't want to go to sleep. No, he was gonna stay awake until he finds a way to get out of these ties and help his friends should a battle occur.

One VK asked to talk to him and the goblins let her through. _Her_ , as in Evie.

"Doesn't this feel kinda familiar?" Evie started. "You sitting there feeling hurt physically and emotionally, me looking down at you with pity."

"You actually feel pity for me?" Carlos questioned. "After all this time, how could you say something like that to me?"

"I... I don't know," said Evie. "Maybe I'm still hoping you could change your mind. Being a hero, it gets your nowhere. Look at yourself. Look at this place. You don't have to live like this."

"Oh, and how should I live? As your slave? To let you treat me like my mom did and just accept it?" Carlos questioned angrily. "I came to you when I was at my weakest. I trusted you. You made me trust you. You cared for me like no one else did back then, but you just decided to switch off the good girl act when you found love... or what you think is love."

Evie was tempted to slap him, but refrained herself from doing so.

"I wish I can say something, but I know there's nothing I can say that'll convince you to see the truth," said Carlos. "Just like you can't say anything to convince me to betray the resistance. So why waste your time with me?"

"You have no idea how I felt when you ran away from me," Evie said, voice cracking. "But I guess you wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Why? Too shy to admit you care?" Carlos questioned.

Shy. When Evie heard that word, something flashed in her head. Some kind of image that she's never seen before. Her seemingly chasing Carlos while he sings a song to her. Shy, would be the name of said song. When she opened her eyes after seeing this memory, she found herself holding Carlos' hand.

"Would you despise me forever if I went through with this?" asked Evie.

"Redundant question," Carlos replied bitterly.

"I guess a wedding invitation isn't gonna fix all this," Evie said sadly.

Evie lets go of his hand and walks away. Carlos felt bad about being rude to her, but he couldn't let go of the pain she caused him. It's odd, considering he now knows all of this is fake. Yet, the memories, the pain, everything he lived through in this new world feels so real and so fresh in his mind. Despite remembering everything about the old world, his new life feels more real to him now.

"Dammit, Mal," Carlos muttered.

The search continues. Over half an hour has passed and still nothing. That's because Carlos never told Maleficent about the catacombs. The only information he gave up during his torture is that the resistance is on the Isle. The scar on his chest was punishment for not giving up the exact location, but Evil Queen told Maleficent that the info was enough. Well, now Maleficent wishes she got everything out of Carlos before they came here.

"We're not making any progress!" Maleficent shouted. "That's it. I'm going to get the last piece of information from that boy if I have to tear his heart out to do it."

"That's my thing," said Evil Queen. "And he's of no use to us if he's dead."

"They're around here somewhere," Maleficent said. "Check the other island!"

Shan Yu and Gaston did as Maleficent said and headed to the next island (Isle of the Doomed, as it was called in the old world). Gaston's men and Shan Yu's Huns take the bridge first in order to patrol ahead for trouble. The two villains stayed back until their minions can report back.

"I'm hoping Mulan's daughter shows up. I can't wait to make her join her parents," said Shan Yu, eager to use his sword.

"I'm looking to settle the score with Belle's kid. Maleficent may have robbed me of my revenge against Beast, but at least I get to kill his little brat," said Gaston.

The two villains' chat was cut off when an explosion occurred, destroying the bridge. The Huns and villagers on the bridge fell down into the water. Most of them can swim, but the waters were cursed. Anyone who hits the water gets trapped in magical bubbles that can't be popped from the inside.

"That's not good," said Shan Yu.

As it turns our, there are traps all over the island. Land mines. Trip wires. Magical sleeping powder. Snare traps. The villains' henchmen are getting blown up by explosions, triggering traps that hit them in the face, forced into a deep sleep, snatched by nets, etc. Flotsam and Jetsam also became victims of the curse of the waters.

"They knew we were coming!" Ursula shouted.

"Yeah, we did!"

That shout came from Lonnie, who was standing on top of an old building. She fires a fire arrow at a stack of barrels. The barrels were filled with explosives, creating a large explosion that forced everyone to duck and cover.

Popping up magically into the open are Ben, Chad, Jane, CJ, Jordan, Scarlet, Fairy God Mother, and the rest of their allies. The Merry Men, the three Dwarfs (Happy, Sleepy, and Bashful), Lancelot, Kristoff, Ben's soldiers, ordinary villagers willing to fight, etc. They surrounded the villains, carrying whatever weapons they can get their hands on. They were afraid, but they were also determined to fight. The villains are right here, on the Isle, and there was no way they were gonna pass up this opportunity, even if it's risky.

"So, this is where it ends, huh?" Maleficent asked, glaring at the offspring of Belle and Beast.

"You fall or we fall," Ben said with determination and hatred.

"Still bitter about your mommy and daddy, kid? Don't worry. You'll be seeing them real soon," said Maleficent.

Ben stood firm with the Sword of Truth in his hand. This was it. This wasn't the final battle he hoped for, but there was no other choice. The villains found them and there is nowhere to run. It's either the war ends here or the war goes on.

"I hope you make it, Audrey," Ben hoped.

* * *

 _One hour ago..._

It was time for an evacuation. The villains are on the Isle, meaning that they have found where they're hiding. Ben ordered for his people to be escorted deeper into the catacombs until they can find one of the secret doors that Yen Sid said (before he was killed) would be down here. Audrey was put in charge of the evacuation while Ben and those who were willing to fight with him engage the villains in what will be a fearsome battle. Audrey didn't like it.

"This is insane, Ben. At least let me join you up there," said Audrey.

"No, you have to help get our people out of here," said Ben.

"Why are you even sending me to handle evacuation instead of fighting with you?" Audrey questioned.

"Because if we lose, these people are gonna need someone to look after then," said Ben.

"Then let Jane handle this . She can take care of them while I fight out there with you," said Audrey.

"But they also need someone to lead them," Ben continued. "And that's where you come in."

Audrey stepped back a little. Ben sounded like he was saying goodbye. For good reason. No one knows if he'll survive or die in this fight. But that doesn't make this any better for Audrey.

"If I don't make it, our people are gonna need a leader, a queen, and that's you, Audrey," said Ben.

"But, Ben, I can't do this without you," said Audrey. "You're expecting me to say goodbye to you for the last time. You're expecting me to go on without you by my side."

Audrey started to cry. Ben responds by kissing her.

"I know it's hard. I know it's impossible. But I don't want this to be our last stand," said Ben. "I love you, Audrey. I trust you. I believe in you with all my heart. Now go. Protect our people. Lead them. Make sure they live to fight another day."

Ben grabs his sword and prepares for battle. Audrey just stood there and tried to muster the courage to not follow Ben and focus on the safety of his people. Instead of turning around and going after her one true love, she walks forward towards the evacuation.

Jane approached. "Audrey, if you would rather be out there than in here, then I can..."

"No," Audrey decided. "You go out there and you protect Ben. I'm gonna lead our people to safety."

* * *

 _Back to the present_

Audrey led all the people deeper into the catacombs. She held a blow torch in one hand and kept her other hand closer to the sword strapped to her hip, just in case. Everyone followed her, wishing to get away from the battle happening above the ground. No matter how much she wanted to turn back, Audrey kept moving forward with the intention of leading all these people to a safe place. She only hopes that Ben and the others come out victorious.

Then something, or someone, poofed up in their way. It was Mal. Audrey quickly draws her sword.

"Stay away from us," Audrey insisted.

"I just wanted to give you this," Mal said calmly.

Mal gives Audrey a compass. It was enchanted.

"The doors are super tricky down here. Without Yen Sid here to guide you, you'll just get yourself lost. Follow the compass and it'll lead you to a safe place," said Mal.

"How do I know you're not just using this to lure us into a trap?" Audrey asked accusingly.

"You have no reason to trust me and I can fully understand that," said Mal. "But if you don't follow this compass, you're just gonna end up walking in circles. And if Ben loses, the villains will find you eventually."

"Because of you," Audrey accused.

"Yes," Mal admitted. "I'm the reason you're in this position, and I wanna be the one to get you out of it."

"You come into our home. You try to manipulate Ben. You turned Carlos against us. And you expect me to trust you?" Audrey questioned.

"Oh, so you think Carlos betrayed you?" Mal asked.

Mal poofs up Evie's Magic Mirror in her hand and uses her own magic to break through the the Mirror's defense (the defense that only makes it work for Evie). She shows him Carlos, who is in a very poor state at the moment. Audrey gasped with horror. Despite thinking Carlos betrayed the resistance, the good in her made her still somewhat care for him, to the point where seeing him hurt affects her.

"All I did was take him prisoner. My mother used him behind my back. She doesn't even know about the catacombs because Carlos didn't give up everything. But here I am alone because I meant what I said," said Mal. "You can either trust me this once or die. Your choice. Ben trusted you to lead these people. Well, take it from someone who's had to make a ton of hard choices in her life, listen to your gut."

Mal poofs away, leaving Audrey to decide if what Ben said about Mal wanting to help the resistance is true.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

It got ugly quick above the ground. The battle started as soon as Ben and Maleficent ordered their respective armies to attack. Good guys and bad guys clashing on the battlefield. And the battlefield happens to be on an old village in a large island. Surrounded by dark clouds, weak buildings, and black soil just sets the mood for the fight. If you were watching from the distance, it would look just as horrible as it is up close.

With a third of the villains' minions either trapped or incapacitated, that helps even things in terms of numbers. Unfortunately, Maleficent's forces still outnumber them 2 to 1. Well, it's better than 3 to 1, I guess.

Maleficent just vanished after the two armies charged at each other.

That means the leader vs leader fight will have to wait. Right now, Ben is facing off in a sword fight against the arch-nemesis of his parents. Gaston. For a guy in his 50s, he sure still looked almost as buff as he did in his younger days. He clearly hasn't stopped eating his eggs.

"I waited so long to drive a knife through your father's chest like the animal he is," said Gaston.

"Well, Maleficent beat you to it," Ben replied.

"But at least I get the satisfaction of taking you out," said Gaston.

Gaston was not only buff for a 50-something year old. He was fast. The fight was evenly matched. It's as if age hasn't slowed Gaston one bit. If anything, he's 99% the man he once was. Ben blocked all of his sword swings, but they were so strong he was staggering backwards. Ben manages to stay on two feet and slash Gaston across the arm.

"Well, your father taught you well," said Gaston.

"He taught me a lot," said Ben.

Ben was now getting the upper hand. Since Gaston is both fast and strong, Ben had to use dodging and properly-timed attacks to get the advantage. A kick to the knee, a slash across the right side of his chest, and a knee to the stomach.

Unfortunately, he couldn't prepare himself for what's next. A Gaston-strong punch to the face.

"Time to cross the entire Beast family off these lands," said Gaston.

Just as Gaston was about to bring his sword down on Ben, a sword pierces Gaston through the back and through the heart. He drops down on his knees, muttering "how," before falling on his face dead. Gaston's fallen body allows Ben to see who saved him.

Mal.

"Still think I'm on the wrong side?" Mal asked.

Mal offers a hand. Ben reluctantly accepts. She pulls him up and the two end up staring at each other for quite a while. Ben blinks repeatedly as another memory flashes into his head.

"Why stare?" Mal teased.

"I... I don't know," Ben said.

"Look, I'm gonna go find my mother," said Mal. "You try and keep everyone alive. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"You're really going out of your way, aren't you?" Ben asked, surprised and confused.

"I am who I decide to be, not who you think I am," said Mal.

Mal poofs away, but not before leaving something in Ben's hand. Ben was shocked at what he found. It was his family's signet ring... and a rusty chain. But more importantly, his family's ring. He thought he lost it on the day he lost his parents. Seeing it again only triggered more memories.

Coronation. Mal in a dress. Him giving her his ring.

Royal Cotillion. A party on a flooded ship. Him slipping the ring on her finger.

"But... but... what does this mean?" Ben wondered. "What is missing? What..."

* * *

 _One hour ago..._

Mal smacks a bunch of stuff off her desk while shouting angrily. The stuff shattered or rolled along the floor while she breathed in and out with a lot of anger present on her face. Witnessing her anger is the wheelchair-bound daughter of the Enchantress, Eleanor. She backed up a bit after watching the random stuff break when they hit the floor. Being powerless doesn't help her courage.

"You couldn't have come sooner?" Mal questioned with quite anger.

"I was, but trying to get out of the catacombs inconspicuously is not easy, especially considering my condition," said Eleanor.

"Oh, screw you and your damn condition!" Mal cursed.

Eleanor silenced herself in shock. A foul mouth can do that to anyone who doesn't have one.

"When I told mom that a battle was coming soon, this is not what I had in mind," Mal said.

"Well, I guess maybe this is comeuppance for you trying to play god," said Eleanor.

Mal's fists burst into flames upon hearing this. Eleanor backed away as Mal walked towards her with green glowing eyes that threaten to inflict fear into her soul. When Eleanor hit the wall, Mal throws a punch at her. Fortunately, she just punched the wall next to her face. Unfortunately, Mal is still angry.

But then that anger died quickly along with the flames.

"Maybe you're right," Mal admitted.

"Whoa," Eleanor said, surprised by the response.

"No more playing puppet master," said Mal. "It's time to do this the old-fashioned way."

Once again, Mal lit up her fist with fire. Determination and vengeance were seen in her eyes. It's clear what she intends to do, and Eleanor is scared because of that.

"Whoa, whoa, don't tell you're just gonna go out there all flames blazing?" Eleanor pleaded.

"Carlos has been kidnapped, Eleo. Mom could be torturing him for information right for all I know," said Mal. "And if I see so much as one scratch on him..."

"You're not gonna... kill your mother, are you?" asked Eleanor.

"No, I'm not," said Mal. "But I am gonna make her suffer."

"She's your mother, Mal," said Eleanor.

"Since when do you care about the villains, Eleo?" Mal questioned loudly. "The black-cloaked dragon out there is not my mom. My real mom is a lizard who remembers being disappointed at and being defeated by her daughter. The one who kidnapped Carlos is an evil villain who is so proud of her daughter who is not even me. You shouldn't care about what I do to her."

"I do if it means you're gonna do something you'll regret and relish in the darkness," said Eleanor. "I need you help me complete my mother's mission."

Mal sighs, irritated by Eleanor's loyalty to her mother, and says, "Your mother is not here. How many times do I have to remind you that? A battle is about to begin on the Isle. Heroes and villains will die. But the odds are clearly on the villains' side. The more time I waste talking to you, the closer I let my mother be into ending the resistance once and for all. We both know I can't have that."

"But Ben doesn't trust you," said Eleanor. "Sure, you rattled his brain, but he still refuses to believe you're on his side."

"Then I guess it's time to wake him up," said Mal.

Mal opens a drawer and takes out what appears to be Ben's signet ring. Eleanor was definitely just about to ask where she got it, so Mal answered before she could ask.

"My mom pried it off Ben's father's hands after she killed him and gave it to me. She thought little girls growing up are into jewelry and stuff," said Mal. "But now, I can use it to

Mal picks up the rusty chain that Jay tried to steal weeks ago before poofing away, leaving Eleanor alone.

"Uh... I forgot to bring a second vanishing potion. I guess I'm sneaking my way out of here," Eleanor realized. "Dammit! Oh, language, Eleo. Great, now I'm calling myself _Eleo_. Dang, I did it again."

* * *

 _Back to the present_

It's still ugly out there. Soldiers, Huns, Knuckleheads, goblins, all being slain and staining the soil with blood. But the odds are still on the villains' side. And that's without Maleficent being present for the fight, so it's really not looking good for the heroes.

The three Dwarfs - Happy, Sleepy, and Bashful - are struggling against Evil Queen's knights because "someone" can't stop falling asleep.

"Wake up, Sleepy!" Bashful said, slapping his narcoleptic friend.

"I really hate doing this," said Happy. Even after years of fighting, he's still a (sort of) happy pacifist.

Happy threw his axe and Bashful's axe at two knights. But there's still plenty more heading their way. They had to run, with Bashful having to carry Sleepy.

As for the rest...

Kristoff hopping from one barrel to another while trying to fend of Judge Claude Frollo, who fought him while riding on a horse.

The Merry Men engaging in an archery battle with Sheriff Nottingham and his knights.

Lancelot fights three of Captain Hook's pirates at the same time.

As for the AKs and VKs...

The extremely skilled Lonnie is sword-fighting with the sort of skilled Evie. Leave it to Evie of any world to fight dirty to get the advantage. She steps on Lonnie's boot, pokes her on the hip with her sword, and uses the light of her Magic Mirror (which Mal magically returned before she could find out it's gone) to blind Lonnie. Evie kicks the briefly blinded Lonnie down to the ground, which was as dirty as Evie's fighting style.

"Just like you VKs. Fighting dirty," said Lonnie.

"I may be a princess, but when it comes to battle, I can't afford to act like one," said Evie.

Jane's trying to out-magic Hadie. Hadie throws fire at Jane, but she uses Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo magic blasts to eradicate the flames. Hadie tried teleporting to surprise her, but she keeps poofing away herself before he could reappear. Hadie tried telekinetically dropping a statue on Jane, but she uses her magic to throw it at him. He dodged the incoming statue, though.

"Rookie," Hadie insulted. "You rely too much on simple magic."

"Well, I'm only 16," said Jane.

Scarlet and Clay Clayton are engaged in a shootout. Well, except Scarlet is using arrows while Clay is using his shotgun (he has real bullets in this new world). Scarlet uses metal barrels and concrete walls to protect herself from gunfire as she fires arrows at Clay. Clay keeps diving to dodge the arrows, but he couldn't dodge Scarlet's double bola arrow shot, which tied him up.

"You're a good shot, but I'm better," Scarlet bragged.

"Arrows are nothing," Clay insulted.

"Says the one who lost," Scarlet teased.

Harriet and Chad were having trouble with each other as they both dished out everything they got. High swings, low swings, and some kicks. Chad has a cut on his forearm while Harriet has a bruised hip. Harriet may have hurt herself more using the leg attached to her bruised hip to kick Chad in the face. This gave Chad to opportunity to push a barrel towards Harriet, knocking her down.

"Any last words?" Chad asked as he pointed his sword at her.

"Yeah. Even for villains, it's nice to have family," said Harriet.

Harry comes out of nowhere and stabs Chad in the back with his hook. Chad tried to move, but Harry dug his hook deeper into the prince's skin. Chad falls to his knees and then lies on his stomach.

"Injuring yourself was audacious, Harriet," said Harry.

"No pain, no gain," said Harriet. "Now, let's finish Prince Pretty Boy."

Harry pulls the hook out of Chad's back, hurting him a lot more. Before Harriet could kill him, Fairy God Mother comes out of literally nowhere and magically zaps the two Hook siblings to the top of an unstable building. As they tried to keep their balance on an unstable wooden beam, Fairy God Mother heals Chad's back wound.

"You didn't have to help me. I had them," Chad said arrogantly.

"I promised your parents I'd watch over you, and no way I was just gonna sit back and let you allow yourself to die because of your pride," said Fairy God Mother.

Jordan is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with Mad Maddy. Maddy transformed herself into a cat and hid from Jordan. Jordan made things disappear, such as barrels and planks just to check if Maddy is hiding behind any of them. She wasn't. The daughter of Genie gets ambushed by Maddy from the shadows of an old building and she gets scratched in the face. Jordan just flicked her away with a snap of a finger.

"Ugh, great. I'm bleeding," Jordan complained. "How am I bleeding?"

Maddy turns back to normal and says, "Magic claws. And that's not even the best part."

Maddy was about to transform again... until she gets a sword through the back. The pain triggered a memory in her head. When Mal stabbed her through the stomach. The person who stabbed her in the memory is the same person who just stabbed her now, the same person who is now whispering to her ear in a menacing way.

"You have no idea how much I wanted to that again," said Mal.

Mal pulls the sword back as Maddy falls to the floor. Dead, again. Jordan steps back in shock. A dying person is nothing new, but a villain kid saving her is what's shocking.

"You're welcome," Mal deadpanned.

Mal vanished. Jordan remained shocked.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Mal continues searching for her mother. On the way, she had to save the three Dwarfs by trapping Evil Queen's knights in a ring of fire that burns them alive. Mal should be feeling ashamed for the rapidly-rising kill count she has right now, but all she cares about is stopping her mother before anyone else gets hurt or killed. The resistance has lost too much and they're losing even more.

Finally, Mal sensed a trail that is her mother's magic. She was about to follow it when...

"Hold it!"

It was Lonnie. Mal sensed her coming, but she just wanted to ignore. Lonnie opens her mouth and speaks words, it's impossible to ignore her now. Mal turns around slowly and sees Lonnie pulling her sword out of a dead Hun's body. She immediately points the sword at the daughter of Maleficent.

"You're gonna pay for mocking my parents," Lonnie said furiously.

"Wow, you are so not the Lonnie I remember," said Mal.

"Wh-What?" Lonnie asked, confused. "Forget it! I'm gonna make you pay for everything you've done to us. Everything. Ben told me about Carlos. And now we're all in this mess because of you. You!"

"Then go ahead. Get your revenge. I'm right here," Mal taunted.

Lonnie charges with nothing but her anger and her sword. Mal dodges Lonnie's first three swings, one of them being a double spin swing, before grabbing the sword with her hand. She snaps the sword in half with her fiery hand and kicks Lonnie down.

"No sword, no problem," Lonnie said determinedly as she stood up. "My parents taught me way too much for me to be helpless without a weapon."

Mal taunts Lonnie with a "bring it on" gesture. Lonnie once again lets her anger get the best of her. Mal dodges Lonnie's first few punches and kicks. Mal manages to hit Lonnie with a back kick to the stomach. Lonnie gets up and attacks again, but Mal blocks every kick she throws. Lonnie manages to get a punch and then follows it with a butterfly kick. Mal quickly recovers and rushes towards Lonnie. She jumps at her, grabs her head in between her legs, and then throws her down with force.

When Lonnie's head hits the ground, something flashed in her mind. Mal using this move on her before. But she doesn't remember when this happened.

"That feel familiar?" Mal asked.

Lonnie didn't say anything and just glared at the daughter of Maleficent.

"You know, your hair is quite a mess," Mal insulted. "Let's fix that." Waving her magic finger around, she says, "Beware for swear, replace the old with cool hair."

Mal casts her spell and Lonnie's hair changes. Her chin-length black hair becomes long, wavy dark brown locks. Mal magically steals Evie's Magic Mirror again just to show Lonnie what she looked like. Upon first glance at her new hair, many more memories come back to her.

When Mal first changed her hair.

Becoming captain of the R.O.A.R. team.

Dating Jay.

After seeing everything, Lonnie looks at Mal with... a smile. Mal helps Lonnie get up and the daughter of Mulan gladly accepts the helping hand.

"Whoa, Mal. I... I didn't mean to... it all felt so... I'm sorry about..." Lonnie was bewildered, obviously overwhelmed with remembering two different lives.

"We'll talk later," said Mal. "Right now, find Jay and try to keep everyone alive."

"Don't worry. I haven't forgotten what I need to do. Buy Audrey enough time while trying to win this fight," said Lonnie. "What about you?"

"I gotta go find my mother," said Mal.

"TRAITOR!"

That shout came from Zevon, who caught Mal being all buddy-buddy with the enemy. He couldn't believe it when he heard it, but seeing Mal help Lonnie stand up after knocking her down as a clear gesture of friendship only confirmed Maleficent's claim to him.

"Go," Mal said to Lonnie. "I'll take care of him."

"Again?" Lonnie questioned. "Yeah, Jay told me about last time."

"Just go," Mal ordered.

Lonnie runs away to look for Jay, leaving Mal to handle Zevon. Zevon takes out a potion bottle, preparing to throw it at Mal. But first, he wanted to ask her a question.

"Why waste your evil potential, Mal?" asked Zevon. "You were gonna be on top of the world, and we would have all followed you. I could've been your king even."

Mal rolls her eyes. Some things never change.

"Being evil is fun, but being good is much more rewarding," said Mal.

"It hurts me to do this, but goodbye, Mal," said Zevon.

Zevon throws the bottle at Mal. Mal just catches it in her hand with no effort. The look on Mal's face makes it clear that she's gonna use the potion against him. Zevon runs away, only to run into Dr. Facilier. The collision ends with both of them on the floor.

"Watch where you're going, you fool!" Dr. Facilier shouted.

Mal throws the potion at the voodoo magician and the son of Yzma. It was a shrinking potion. Big shock, right? Zevon and Dr. Facilier are now two inches tall, looking like bugs on the ground. And just like bugs, Mal intends to eliminate them like so. The two villains see a large shadow covering their own, and that shadow came from Mal's big boot.

Zevon shoves Dr. Facilier and jumps out of the way to save himself. Mal's heeled boot comes crashing down hard on Dr. Facilier, squishing him like a bug. Zevon, on the other hand, is safe. But he had to watch the voodoo magician be squashed right in front of him. It was a horrifying sight. When Mal lifted her boot, Zevon sees the bloody remains of Dr. Facilier. Now it was even more horrifying.

"Fitting end for him. Don't you think, Zevon?" Mal said. "Now, for you."

Mal snatches the tiny Zevon from the ground and holds him in her hand, glaring at him with those large glowing green eyes (large from Zevon's point of view).

"I'd step on you again like last time, but I think I prefer a new method of disposing you," said Mal.

Mal closes her fingers around Zevon, squeezing him in her hand, and then setting that hand on fire. As Mal squished Zevon in her grip, the flames took care of the rest. A few seconds later, Mal opens her hand to let Zevon's ashes fall towards the soil that matches the color of his ashes.

"Just as satisfying as before," Mal said malevolently.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Carlos is still being guarded by Maleficent's goblins. Only three of them. They were busy talking about the battle. Carlos couldn't get out of his cuffs, since they're magical, but he could still use his legs. With the goblins' heads turned by the all the chaos on the battlefield, Carlos slowly gets up and makes a run for it. The goblins didn't notice until it was too late. They started searching, unaware that Carlos is hiding inside the nearest damaged building.

Just as Carlos sighed with relief, someone covered his mouth and dragged him deeper into the building. Fortunately, it was just his girlfriend, CJ.

She removes her hand from his mouth and places her lips right on top of his. Clearly, he's been missed. Carlos, however, was now feeling weird about this. Remembering the old world and knowing this world is a fake is why. To think, of all people, it's CJ who becomes his girlfriend.

After the kiss, CJ immediately notices the weird look on Carlos' face.

"Is something wrong?" CJ asked.

Carlos responds by kissing CJ on the lips. He didn't know why. Something in him made him do it. _Why_ , he wondered. His love for CJ isn't real. It's caused by the Wishing Well. So, why did he just lean forward with little control of himself?

"I'm sorry," Carlos apologized after the kiss. "I just... it's good to see you. Really."

CJ smiled as she hugged him.

"Stand back, CJ!"

Chad showed up with his sword raised.

"What are you doing, Chad?" asked CJ.

"Ben didn't tell you, but Carlos is the reason the villains found us," said Chad. "He betrayed us, allied himself with Mal, and that is why all this fighting is happening."

"That's ridiculous. He would never do that," said CJ.

"She's right. I wouldn't," said Carlos.

"Then why did you let her out of the cell weeks ago?" asked Chad.

"She got out herself. I just let her," said Carlos.

"What?" CJ asked, shocked. "You... you let her go?"

"I know it sounds beyond absurd, but Mal wants to change, CJ, just like us," said Carlos. "She kept me prisoner because she needed something from me. Her mother is the one who got the information of our hideout out of me and gave me _this_." He gestured to his face, which was in really bad shape.

"You let Mal get in your head and now look at you," CJ scolded.

"I know it's impossible to believe, but now is not the time to argue about this," said Carlos. He approached Chad and said, "I'm not the enemy here, Chad. The enemy is out there. We can stay here and bicker all day, or we can get back out there and save our people."

Despite his suspicions, Chad lowers his sword.

Carlos was about to say something else when he heard the sound of the cocking of a gun. Seeing his mother Cruella around the corner, Carlos pushes Chad out of the way, only to get shot in the chest.

"NO!" CJ and Chad cried.

Cruella aims her gun at his son, but Chad stood in her way with his sword pointed at her.

"He is your son. How could you?" Chad asked.

"Because he's a traitor and a disappointment. How can he be my son?" Cruella replied cruelly. "Out of my way, boy."

"No," said Chad. "He's one of us. I'm not gonna let him die."

"Fine," said Cruella.

Cruella shoots Chad in the foot and then immediately follows it by shooting CJ on the shoulder. With Chad and CJ out of the way, Cruella aims her gun at her son. Just as she was about to pull the trigger, an arrow goes right through her heart from behind. The arrow came from...

Evie?

She was holding Carlos' bow and his quiver was strapped to her back. Cruella drops dead as the three heroes stare at the daughter of Evil Queen with confusion. Evie ignored the stares and rushed towards Carlos. He was... okay. He was fine. No bleeding. The bullet from Cruella's gun just pierced his suit but not his skin.

"Protective suit," Carlos explained. "What, you think I was gonna go to war without proper preparation?"

Evie smiled as she caressed Carlos' cheek in a way that CJ didn't like. What she didn't like even more is Carlos responding to this gentle touch with a smile of his own.

"Don't tell anyone," Evie pleaded.

Evie gives Carlos back his bow and quiver before returning to the battlefield.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Ben tried to save everyone. He wasn't gonna let one person die on his watch. Many of his people have already fallen, but that doesn't mean he's gonna give up. That doesn't make this easier, though. Everything was going up in flames around him. Literally. As if the environment didn't already scream "a war to the death," the already weak structures are being destroyed, fires are starting everywhere because of everyone's carelessness, and Maleficent is still nowhere to be seen.

One injured man was about to be killed by a Hun, but Ben stabs the Hun through the chest quickly and takes the man to a safe spot to heal.

Lancelot was injured and about to be executed by Hook's pirates. Ben uses a fallen Merry Man's arrows to incapacitate the pirates.

A 19-year-old boy was being dragged around by Ursula's tentacles. Ben had to use fire to drive her away from the boy.

"We're outnumbered, Ben! We have to get out of here," said Jane.

"No, we have to hold on a little longer," said Ben.

"We'll be killed," said Scarlet. "But then again, isn't that the possibility every day?"

"Jane, I know it's looking bad, but we're doing this for Audrey and the others, not for ourselves," said Ben.

"I know... I know..." Jane said as she tried to calm down.

"Uh, Ben," Jordan called. "Think maybe we should be keeping an eye out for Mal?"

"Why?" asked Chad.

"I was just fighting Madam Mim's granddaughter and Mal, well, she killed her," said Jordan.

"Whoa, whoa, what?!" Chad was surprised.

"I know it sounds crazy, but she killed Mad Maddy right in front of me," said Jordan.

"This is not adding up," Ben muttered.

Before that question could be answered, everyone's attention was caught by a green glow in the sky. It looked like a meteor was heading straight for them, only it wasn't a meteor. It was a giant green fireball of dark magic. Maleficent's magic.

The Mistress of Evil watched from the Isle of the Doomed (at least, that's what the other island was called in the old world) as her magical doomsday weapon descends upon the Isle. This was the product of her secret project with Jafar, Yzma, and Hades. The "magical concoction that will destroy the resistance" secret project.

Like a meteor, that giant fireball of dark magic crashes on the Isle. Instead of wiping everyone out like an actual meteor does, the giant fireball did two things. One, it changed the fires around them from red to green. Two, it covered all the heroes (who are still standing) with a green glow that seemed to be weakening them. They drop to their knees and cry in pain as their bodies feel like they're giving out.

Maleficent teleports to the center of the battlefield to witness her work. She walks towards the young would-be King of Auradon and looks down at him with that evil smile on her face. She wanted to relish this moment before she ends him.

"Do you feel that, your majesty?" Maleficent mocked. "At first, I wanted to just end you immediately. I could've done that. But then my daughter's antics taught me something. Always plan ahead. So, I did. Just in case you might see us coming and try some divide-and-conquer tactic, I thought it would be best to give you a slow death. That way, you can tell me what I want to know. And that is, where are the rest of your people?"

"I'm... never... gonna... talk," Ben grunted, due to his diminishing life energy. "How... how are you and your people... safe?"

"Protection spells, of course," said Maleficent. "That way, my special concoction can harm only those it intends to harm. Now, I'll ask again." Maleficent presses her scepter's orb against Ben's chin in a threatening way. "Where is the rest of the resistance?"

"I'm... never... gonna... tell you," Ben persisted.

"Fine," Maleficent said casually. "Shan Yu, make an example of someone."

"With pleasure," said Shan Yu.

Shan Yu walks up to Lonnie, who was feeling just as weak as everyone else. Ben crawls his way towards her, desperate to save her, but Maleficent slams her scepter down in front of him, stopping him from even trying.

"Oh, I remember you. Mulan's little kid," Shan Yu started. "I told Gaston when we got here that I wanted to reunite you with your parents. Well, how about..."

Suddenly, the green glow ceased. All the heroes are slowly regaining their full strength. Lonnie quickly picks up her dropped sword and turns around to face Shan Yu, only for the Hun leader to immediately stab her in the stomach with his own sword.

"Lonnie, no!" Ben cried.

Before Lonnie could let her body give in to the pain, she stabs Shan Yu in the chest. Both of them fall down as they rip the swords out of their bodies.

Too late, however. Shan Yu dies immediately. Lonnie, on the other hand, was still breathing, but not for long.

It was Jay's turn to see something in his head. As soon as Shan Yu's sword pierced Lonnie, an image flashed in his brain. He closed his eyes to see it fully, and he could not believe what he was seeing.

Sea of Storms. A pirate ship. Lonnie gets literally stabbed in the back by Ginny in front of him and he cries for her.

"Jay?" Evie called. "Are you okay?"

Jay snapped out of it and said, "Uh, f-fine. I'm fine. Really, I am."

No, he wasn't. As Fairy God Mother tried to heal Lonnie's injury, Jay felt afraid. He was scared that Lonnie would die. But why? She's the enemy. He shouldn't care. But something deep inside him told him that he knew her. But he doesn't. It's all so confusing to him.

Jay approaches Lonnie to find out why. Fairy God Mother tried to get him to back off, but Lonnie told her to let him close. When he knelt down next to her, she quickly grabbed his hand. She used her other hand to touch his face in a very affectionate matter. Jay was once again confused, even more so by the sight of Lonnie smiling at him.

"Remember who you are. Don't be who you're raised to be. Remember... for me," Lonnie said weakly.

And then Jay "remembered" more. He can see himself sparring with a masked volunteer for the R.O.A.R. team, who turns out to be Lonnie. Then he remembered the two of them dancing in Cotillion. But once again, it was all too confusing for him to take seriously.

"I... I don't understand," said Jay.

"You will. I believe in you," said Lonnie.

Lonnie's hands fell when she got weaker. Fairy God Mother had to keep working her magic. Jay stepped back to process everything he was seeing in his head.

"KILL EVERYONE!" Maleficent ordered.

Ben draws the Sword of Truth, but Maleficent whacks it out of his hand with her scepter and then blasts him with a magic blast from her scepter, fatally wounding him. The villains started killing the sidekicks before they could be back to full strength.

Captain Hook kills Lancelot.

Ursula kills the Three Dwarfs with magic blasts from Triton's trident.

Sheriff Nottingham and his Knights slaughter the Merry Men (Will Scarlet managed to survive, though).

Jafar kills several armed villagers.

Dead bodies. Left and right. All good guys. Ben couldn't watch. But he couldn't just lie down and let the wound on his chest slowly end him. He stood up and rushed to the others.

Then Mal poofed up in the scene, looking nearly as weak as the rest. She too was affected by Maleficent's giant green fireball, but only barely. So, why is she so weak? That's because she had to use a huge amount of her own magic to cast protection spells on every hero on the island to protect them from the green fireball's effects. She tried burning herself up, literally, in order to power up herself. It was working. She returned to full strength only to see what is happening.

The heroes are falling. So many innocent people dying.

"NO!" Mal shouted. Her eyes glowed greener than ever before.

Mal grabs a sword and lights it on fire, preparing to slaughter anyone who gets in her way. That would have to wait, however, because her "BFF" just stood in her way, except Mal stopped instead of continuing.

"I can't believe you would do this, Mal. I can't believe you would turn your back on us, on evil, on your best friend," Uma said, feeling betrayed.

"You're not my best friend," said Mal. "You're just a no-good sea witch who can never change, no matter what world."

Mal slashes the air to send a blade of fire towards Uma. Uma tried blocking it with her magic, but it didn't work. Uma gets hit and gets knocked down, slightly burnt. Mal blasts a huge ball of fire from her sword, but Uma avoid it by using her magic hair to grab a nearby rebar of an old building to slingshot herself away from line of fire. But Mal quickly teleports herself closer and slashes Uma across the face, leaving a burning scar that made her scream.

"Mal, stop!" Harry begged as he grabbed Mal's arm. "Mal, my love, why?"

"Because I'm not your love, luv," Mal growled.

Mal frees her arm from Harry's grip, and cuts off his hand in the process. Harry drops to his knees as the pain made his shout. Mal had a brief moment of regret there, but she pushed forward.

Then it was Freddie's turn to get in her way.

"Claudine saw what you did to my dad. How could you?" Freddie questioned with a tear raining down her face. She was grieving the loss of her father.

"Remember Ray? Well, I just gave him what he deserved," said Mal.

Freddie unleashes a full deck of a magically-charged cards. Mal's fire slash burns all the cards in an instant. She charges her sword with a spin and unleashes another wave of fire that knocks Freddie out, burning her face and shoulder as well.

Mal charges at her mother with her sword raised high. But Maleficent's blocks Mal's swing with a burst of dark magic, knocking her away from her. Mal gets back up and decides to use fire from her own hands. Maleficent extinguishes each incoming fire blast with her magic blasts, but Mal wasn't giving up. Mal raises her fiery fist high and pounds the ground hard, unleashing a large wave of magic in the area. A wave made up of a combination of dragon's fire and the dragon heart's dark magic. Everyone, including Maleficent, were hit and seriously hurt.

Mal picks up the Sword of Truth and approaches her mother. Maleficent reaches for her scepter, but Mal kicks it away. Mal threatens her mother with the sword, looking at her with so much rage in her eyes.

"All that anger, all that darkness, and you direct it towards me?" Maleficent questioned. "I'm disappointed."

"Good, because I'm done trying to impress you," said Mal.

Mal raises the sword high with both hands, preparing to bring it down on her mother. She hesitated for a brief moment, but she didn't change her mind. She was about to finish this war once and for all when...

"MAL!"

Mal turns around and sees Eleanor, who somehow came back to the Isle after sneaking out of the castle. By the looks of the bruise on her face and how she was holding her stomach, it would seem she didn't come back unscathed.

* * *

 _Fifteen minutes ago..._

Eleanor found a couple of vanishing potions to steal. Unfortunately, in her effort to steal them, she got ambushed by goblins who were left behind to patrol the castle. The first thing they did after finding her is pushing her off her wheelchair. Then they started hitting her with the butt end of their weapons. They've been doing it for five minutes straight. She tried crawling away, but it was no use. She can't walk.

Eleanor's face is covered in bruises and her mid-section is hurting really bad.

Eleanor knew that being on a wheelchair for real was gonna be a punishing challenge, but what she has to suffer through when she's on her own, it just shows her what a truly helpless person feels like. Weeks ago, she got bullied by some kids while trying to steal a vanishing potion and she had to transport herself to the Isle without her wheelchair. And now, she's at the mercy of the goblins without any means of fighting back.

"No, stop. Please. Stop," Eleanor begged.

"Oh, we'll stop, only because Maleficent can do worse to you," said a goblin.

The goblins started evil laughing, picturing what kind of evil Maleficent would inflict on Eleanor. This gave Eleanor time to think. She manages to reach for one potion bottle. She throws it at the goblins. It was a sleeping potion, putting the goblins to sleep, temporarily. She gets back on her wheelchair and uses one of the two vanishing potions to transport herself to the Isle.

* * *

 _Back to the present_

"Remember what matters," Eleanor pleaded, trying to get Mal to really open her eyes.

Mal's eyes continued to glow green, but she took the time to look around. Carnage. That's all she sees. Both heroes and villains have lost lives, but the heroes have suffered more than the rest. Ben and Jane cried next to Lonnie. Lonnie is dead. Fairy God Mother was too late. Mal's eyes stopped glowing as she kept looking at all the death and destruction around her.

"What have I become?" Mal asked herself.

Maleficent interrupts Mal's moment by blasting her with her scepter. Maleficent takes the Sword of Truth in order to keep it out of enemy hands.

"What are you all waiting for? I said, KILL EVERYONE!" Maleficent ordered.

Reacting quickly, Mal magically steals Eleanor's vanishing potion, amplifies the magic within, and then throws it down to the ground, shattering it and making everyone she wanted to vanish, well, vanish.

When the smoke cleared, all the heroes are gone, including Mal. Maleficent was certainly not happy.

"IDIOTS! ALL OF YOU! IDIOTS!" Maleficent shouted. "FIND THEM! BURN THIS PLACE DOWN IF YOU HAVE TO! FIND THEM!"

A fiery aura surrounds Maleficent, scaring all the villains.

 **This felt more like a final battle, but it's not. Still, again I must mention the length. I know I ignored some of the villains and heroes, but I am on a tight schedule and I really needed to get this done. I just hope what I did write was enough.**

 **Just to remind all of you (and myself), here's the casualty list (sorry if this hurts):**

 **\- Lonnie**

 **\- Shan Yu**

 **\- Gaston**

 **\- Dr. Facilier**

 **\- Zevon**

 **\- Mad Maddy**

 **\- Cruella De Vil**

 **\- Three Dwarfs, Lancelot, and Merry Men (except for Will Scarlet)**

 **Lonnie. I honestly can't believe I went there. But I did. Believe me, it hurt. But I had to. I did warn you to brace yourselves. This is a bleak new world and I intended to emphasize it. But seriously, I wish I didn't have to go with Lonnie. I just hope this doesn't discourage you from continuing. If I'm being honest, we're at the halfway point. I'm far from done.**

 **So, what do you think? A full, honest opinion would be appreciated.**


	16. Mal

**Last time, there was a huge battle on the Isle that ended up being worse for the heroes than the villains. Mal is outed as a traitor, and the heroes are who knows where. Well, the heroes and villains' part regarding the aftermath will have to wait. Right now, we're gonna be focusing on Mal during the aftermath of the battle. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, danifan3000, CarvieCamfia2, Descendants123, Mustang52, TheorelWil98, xez2003**

 ** _To TheorelWil98_: It's not a timeline change. It's a "reality" change. I just thought I'd let you know. But I'm glad you like the story.**

After the eventful bloodshed between the heroes and villains on the Isle, the heroes have disappeared and the person responsible is now on her own. Trudging through the hip-high snow in an unforgiving snowstorm is the daughter of Maleficent, Mal. Hugging her own shoulders and shivering from the extreme cold, Mal fought against the strong winds and snowballs raining from the sky in order to get to where she wants to go before the cold gets to her. She's been killed once, fought against the most powerful magical beings, and the fiercest of non-magical enemies, but the most devastating snowstorm ever proves to be a worthy force against the virtually indestructible Mal.

 _It's just the cold_ , she told herself. _It's no big deal, right?_

As Mal walked up the mountain, she saw a silhouette on top of the mountain. It looked like a castle. In fact, it was the ice castle that was created by Queen Elsa. That castle is exactly where she intended to go. In her research during her month-long self-lockup in her room, she learned that Queen Elsa's castle is inaccessible due to the immensely powerful snowstorm she cast upon the North Mountain before she "disappeared." No hero nor villain, not even Maleficent or Fairy God Mother, have been able to beat the snowstorm without almost getting frozen to death (or just simply frozen). Mal, being even more powerful than her mother, somehow manages to survive the snowstorm by just simply walking into it.

Heating herself up with a little fire magic, to little avail, Mal continued up the mountain. She finally gets her lower legs out of the snow and on the icy steps. She fought the wind on her way up and kept herself heated up, even if it barely worked. Elsa may not be as powerful as Mal, but her curse definitely challenged the daughter of Maleficent. It's only with the Dragon's Fire that Mal has been able to keep her skin and hair from freezing.

Mal kicks the front doors open and then drops to her knees as she walks inside. After a few seconds of deep breaths, she magically shuts the doors. Now that the doors are closed, it was less colder. Still cold, yes, but not as cold as outside. At least now Mal isn't shivering and needing to hug herself. She reaches into her jacket and takes out something. It was a shrunken coffin, kinda like what she used to keep CJ in when everyone thought the blonde pirate was dead. She puts the coffin down and lifts her magic from it, causing it grow back to normal size and releasing whoever is inside.

Mal decides to sit down next to the wall, hugging her knees. Just when it looked like she was calm, she suddenly broke into tears.

As Mal sheds tears, the person inside the coffin woke up and climbed out. It was Eleanor. There was a secret compartment in the coffin, which held the parts to Eleanor's wheelchair. Once she opened the compartment, the pieces magically pieced themselves together. Eleanor crawled out of the coffin and helped herself up on the wheelchair. As soon as that was done, she rolled towards the crying Mal.

"All I wanted was to win... and I... I can't even get that," Mal said in between sniffles. "I had it all planned out, and mom ruined it. Now Lonnie and countless more are dead because of my arrogance."

"Okay, points for self-awareness," Eleanor commented.

"You think this is a joke?" Mal accused.

"Of course not," said Eleanor. "It's just, it's not often someone who does something bad realizes the meaning behind it all."

"You don't have to rub it in my face," Mal snarled.

"I'm sorry," Eleanor apologized. "Why'd you bring me all the way up here, Mal?"

"Maybe I just realized I do need an angel on my shoulder," said Mal. "And the last thing I need is talking to myself in my sleep. Trust me, it's scarier than how I worded it."

"Well, what do you need guidance in?" asked Eleanor.

"Isn't it obvious?" Mal replied with biting sarcasm. "What am I supposed to do now? My mother has the Sword of Truth. The heroes have nowhere to hide. Lonnie is dead. And here I am hiding in an ice castle with only you to talk to."

"Well... let's start with how you feel about this," said Eleanor. "I mean, I wanna hear you tell me."

"How do I feel?" Mal replied with quiet fury. "How do you think I feel? What do you expect me to say? Angry? Mad? Frustrated? Furious?"

"Uh, those all mean the same," Eleanor pointed out.

"I know that!" Mal shouted. "Eleo, I created this world. I am the reason everything has gone to hell. I am the reason my friends' lives are hell. I am the reason the villains feel like they're in their own personal heaven. I would've have just packed my bags and stole a boat just to get away from the hellish rollercoaster that is my life. But then I thought, maybe I can still make things right. I thought, maybe I can rectify my sins by turning this dark and evil world into my world. And in my efforts to make that a reality, I just end up making things a million times worse. How should I feel about that, you ask? Like I'm trapped in hell for an eternity."

Mal punches the wall with her fiery fist, causing the ice shards on the ceiling to shake. Eleanor was glad they didn't fall or else she'd be in a worse condition.

"You keep telling me that I need to forgive myself," Mal remembered. "But the thing is, Eleo, I don't think I can ever do that. Maybe I could've back in the old world, but in this new world, after all that's happened, I can't even imagine a scenario where I do forgive myself."

"Then you can never truly have the inner peace you need to move on," said Eleanor. "Especially not after what I saw back on that battlefield. I didn't see the woman that Ben loved. What I saw was..."

"What, Eleo? A monster? A villain?" Mal accused.

"For someone who has gone through so many transformations, you are still so unsure of yourself," said Eleanor. "The way you killed without hesitation, the look on your face as you prepared to strike down your own mother... it's unlike anything I've ever seen from a villain."

"I keep telling myself that I know who I am, because I know who I am," Mal said. "When I fell in love with Ben, my heart took over my actions. When I died, my darkest emotions took over my heart. When I touched my mother's scepter, I let the magic within fuel my dark emotions but not to the point where I forget that I have a heart."

"But it all goes back to your death and resurrection," said Eleanor. "The sins you committed during that time, those are the ones you regret the most, if not what you did with the Wishing Well."

"I thought I had changed," Mal said earnestly. "I thought I was becoming a better person, become close to the person that my friends and family love and care so much about. I've went through so many changes, but maybe they're all just distractions keeping me from realizing the truth."

"And what truth is that?" asked Eleanor.

"What if I never changed at all?" Mal answered. "What if I'm still the same person who betrayed my family, tortured Carlos, and mercilessly took the lives of 118 people?"

"You can't think that, Mal. You've evolved beyond that. I know that, and so do you," said Eleanor.

"You wanted to be the angel on my shoulder, so act like it! What am I supposed to do?" Mal asked, desperate for answers.

"I'm sorry, Mal, but I don't think I have any answers," said Eleanor.

Mal groaned, irritated.

"The answers we really want are never easy to get," said Eleanor. "Sometimes, we just have to find he answers ourselves. I only know what you need to do to help yourself. I just don't know how you do what you need to do to help yourself."

"You. Are. So. Fired," Mal growled. "Now, get out before that becomes literal."

"Uh, you do realize I'll be frozen in an instant the second I open the door, right?" Eleanor pointed out.

Mal reaches into her jacket and pulls out a vanishing potion. She tosses it to Eleanor, who almost dropped it in her attempt to catch it.

"I enchanted it to take you to where Audrey and the others are," said Mal. "Now, get out."

Eleanor feels like she is failing Mal. "Angel on Mal's shoulder" is practically her job in this new world, and she's doing a poor job at it. True, Mal is as stubborn as they come, but it takes some truly competent in order to get her to listen to the voice speaking to her from her shoulder. Eleanor failed to talk Mal out of playing god and now they're both paying the price.

"Before I go, can I ask you one thing?" asked Eleanor.

"Make it fast," said Mal.

"What made you decide to turn your back on your mother, on evil?" asked Eleanor. "I mean, Ben did tell me that it's our choice to not be like our parents, but how do you arrive to that choice? You have no idea how many times I wanted to abandon my mother's mission, but then you came to Auradon and I had to prioritize my mother's mission again. As you can obviously tell, I've done things the way she would've, more or less. Despite all that, her worst nightmare came true. Yet, I am still shouldering as much burden as you are to make my mother proud. But how do you even come to think about deviating from your parents' instructions?"

"I think you've been doing that all these years," said Mal. "Pros and cons. Advantages and disadvantages. What's worth it and what's not. Being good was both rewarding and cathartic. Being evil leads to nothing but misery. What about you? I'm sure you've been thinking about what you really want with you life. I don't need the power to read emotions to know you have doubts."

"I guess... maybe I..." Eleanor paused. "I need to think it over."

"Think it over with Ben and the rest," said Mal.

"I truly am sorry, Mal," Eleanor apologized. "I hope you find what you're really looking for."

Eleanor throws the potion down to the floor, shattering it and teleporting herself out of castle. Wherever Audrey and her people are, that's where Eleanor is now. That just leaves Mal as the sole person in the ice castle.

Mal returns to sitting down against the wall while hugging her knees. She shed yet another tear as she reminds herself of everything that has happened since she woke up into this new world.

* * *

Several hours later, Mal has fallen asleep while still sitting against the wall. All the sulking she has been doing has made her tired so she decided to close her eyes and fall into a peaceful slumber. Well, as peaceful as a chaotic mind can be. Until she can find the will to get out of the ice castle and fight on, all she can do is live with the pain of the guilt she felt about everything that happened on the Isle. Lonnie's death, out of all the deaths, is the one that has been hitting her the hardest. She actually helped Lonnie regain her memories, only for her to die not too long after.

It seems that Mal might be sleeping for the rest of the night, until she heard something.

"Pathetic. Just pathetic, like, super pathetic."

That voice sounded awfully like hers. Mal refused to wake up, however. She thought she was just hearing things. However, this voice that resembles hers won't go away.

"Why would you even listen to that paralyzed patsy? You are so much better than that, Mal."

Mal really wanted to open her eyes, but she kept them closed, hoping this voice would go away if she ignored it long enough.

"Boo."

That sudden boo finally woke up Mal. What she saw in front is... herself. Well, herself except she's wearing the black jacket that was gifted to her after touching Maleficent's scepter.

"Oh, hell no," Mal cursed. "I must be dreaming."

"You think so?" The other Mal said. "Then how come I can do this?"

The other Mal slaps the real Mal in the face. Dream or not, that felt real. Mal rubbed the spot on her cheek where she was slapped as she stood up. The other Mal just chuckled.

"I thought you and I were finished," said Mal.

"Oh, that's not me. You killed that Mal, remember? Just stabbed her just like that," the other Mal said.

Mal remembered. Last year, she had a dream where she was talking to a darker version of herself. The conversation got intense and it ended with her stabbing the fake Mal, which woke her up from her dream.

"That's why you got new company."

Those words came from a third Mal. This Mal had a lighter shade of purple on her hair and the fringe cut (bangs) given to her by Dizzy. Basically, this is the Mal who returned to the Isle after quitting on Auradon ( _in Descendants 2_ ).

"I don't know why you ditched this hair, Malsy. It's the best," said Mal #3.

"This is nuts. I'm going crazy," Mal said to herself, trying to snap out of whatever this is. "I have to wake up."

"Oh, but don't go yet, Mal."

And now those words came from yet another Mal. This Mal had blonde hair and wore a familiar green short-skirt dress. This was the Mal who changed her appearance to make herself look more like a king's girlfriend.

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE: Just to avoid confusion, the following Mal _s_ will be described as followed (read below).**

 **\- Mal with the black jacket will be written as, well, I guess "Black Jacket Mal"**

 **\- Mal with the bangs will be "Post-Death Mal"**

 **\- Blonde Mal is, well, "Blonde Mal"**

"You know what they say. Always listen to your conscience," Blonde Mal said in a rather uplifting tone.

"And you're my conscience?" Mal questioned.

"Oh, don't listen to that goody two shoes," said Black Jacket Mal.

"Hey, that's not very nice of you," said Blonde Mal.

"I'm talking to myself. I'm going nuts," Mal said, pounding her noggin in a desperate attempt to _wake up_.

Black Jacket Mal grabs the real Mal by the shoulders and knocks on her noggin for her, which just annoyed the real Mal.

"Ever wonder why you're seeing us?" Black Jacket Mal asked.

"Because you need another angel on your shoulder," Blonde Mal said with a smile.

"And a devil on the other," Post-Death Mal deadpanned.

Mal is really desperate to wake up. This is insane, like, beyond insane. As if talking to herself in a nightmare wasn't enough, she's now talking to three different versions of herself. Blonde Mal seems to represent all the goodness in her, only amplified to sound like a typical goody two shoes princess. Post-Death Mal represents the darkness inside her following her death. Black Jacket Mal seems to be just a mirror version of the current Mal.

"If Uma ever asked me what the definition of insanity is, I would've said it was CJ," Mal said to herself. "But now I know the true meaning of insanity. And that is talking to yourself."

"Well, we're not going anywhere," said Black Jacket Mal.

"Not until you sort out your feelings," said Blonde Mal.

"Yeah, whatever Blondie said," Post-Death Mal said disinterestedly.

"I can do this just by staring at myself in the mirror. I don't need to be talking to myself in an extremely literal sense. The first one was more than enough," said Mal. "Oh, great. I'm actually talking to myself. It's official. I'm insane."

"If you're truly insane, then you would've killed your mother," Black Jacket Mal said darkly.

"And you're here to tell me I shouldn't have listened to Eleanor," Mal guessed.

"Duh," said Post-Death Mal. "You had her dead to rights. You had the Sword of Truth in your grasp. All you had to do was use it to pierce it straight through the heart. But you couldn't even do that. You're soft."

Mal eyes glowed as she said, "Call me soft again and I'll..."

"You'll what? I'm not real, remember?" Post-Death Mal said. "I'm just here to set you straight."

"I believe that's my job," said Blonde Mal. "Mal, don't listen to these two. You have to focus on what really matters. Saving the heroes. Save Ben. Oh, sweet little Ben." She said that rather dreamily.

"She already tried that, princess. And Lonnie paid for her mistake," said Post-Death Mal.

Mal's fists caught on fire due to her heightened emotions caused by Post-Death Mal's reminder of Lonnie's death. The other three Mals were definitely startled, real or not.

"Whoa, looks like you struck a nerve there, Bangs," Black Jacket Mal said.

"Okay, I know what Blondie and I are here for, but what about you?" Post-Death Mal asked the one with the black jacket.

"You're both the angel and the devil on her shoulders, right? I guess that makes me the one standing in the line between," said Black Jacket Mal.

"Mal doesn't need a grey area character. She needs a guide who will guide her on the right path," said Blonde Mal. "And I say, she needs to go out there, find her family, and help them reclaim Auradon... and maybe give Ben a little peck on the lips for memory restoration."

"True Love's Kiss isn't the key this time, Goldilocks," said Black Jacket Mal. "You saw it with Carlos and Lonnie, right? It needs to be something else, some reminder of their relationship with Mal that has as much as impact as True Love's Kiss."

"Why help Benny remember the sap he once was when Mal can turn him into the bad boy she's always dreamed him of being?" Post-Death Mal said.

"Don't listen to her, Mal," said Blonde Mal. "Think of Bennyboo. Think of how much you want to hold him close. Think of how much you want to spend the rest of your life with him."

"Oh, aren't you such as a class act, Blondie," said Post-Death Mal. "We all know that nice girl stuff is just pretend."

"Maybe that's true, but at least I don't delude myself into believing I'm all that bad," Blonde Mal retorted.

"Stop it, both of you," said Black Jacket Mal. "We're not here to tell her what to do. We're here to guide her."

"Yeah, guide her to be who she really is. Rotten to the Core," said Post-Death Mal.

"But she can embrace that side of her in order to do some good," said Blonde Mal. "I mean, she already has, hasn't she?"

"Oh, since when does being good ever do her any favors?" Post-Death Mal said. "She's been nothing but miserable and pathetic. She lost her friends' trust. She couldn't keep Carlos' love. She had to turn the world into this evil paradise..."

"But she was trying to save the world," said Blonde Mal. "And that's what she's going to do right now."

"What she's going to do is not sit around here and do nothing," said Black Jacket Mal. "Although, I agree about the pathetic part. She's just sitting here, weeping and crying and feeling so sorry for herself instead of..."

"SHUT UP!"

Mal's outbursts creates a burst of magic that blows down the other three Mals, as well as causing the icy floor to crack and the icicles on the ceiling to come crashing down. Mal was unharmed and so were the others (then again, they won't even feel anything if the icicles hit them). The three Mals didn't say a word as Mal's eyes glowed as green as they did when she nearly took her mother's life. They clearly pushed her over the edge.

"No one tells me what to do and who to be," Mal said angrily. "I make my decisions. Me. Only me. Not you."

"Don't you get it, Mal?" Black Jacket Mal said. "We are you. Every part of you, only separate. You just have to decide which side you need the most."

"And why would being good not be what she needs the most?" Blonde Mal questioned.

"Because being good is a waste of time," Post-Death Mal deadpanned.

"Being bad never solves anything," Blonde Mal argued.

"The Nice Me is right," said Mal.

"Huh?" The other three Mals asked simultaneously.

"But being all good is not gonna get me anywhere as well," said Mal. "Blondie, I became you out of desperation to be good just to fit in. Bangs, I became you when I died and woke up with a whole new perspective on myself and the world. And you, Gothzilla, you are who I am right now... without all the graciousness and irrationality."

"Keep going," said Black Jacket Mal, liking where this is going.

"But I shouldn't treat myself like I'm a completely different person," Mal continued as a small smile appeared on her face. "At the end of the day, I'm just me. I'm Mal. No matter how many transformations I go through, I'm still me. I'm still the same person I've always been. I may have broken down all my barriers, the good and the bad, but I can still be the person I have always been when I came to call Auradon my home."

"But you still infect every life you touch," said Post-Death Mal. "Misery and suffering come wherever you go, as you've clearly seen around you."

"True," Mal agreed. "I will always endanger those who are a part of my life, whether they're a friend or an enemy, but I have to learn to deal with that. I can't just give up living for my family just because I'm living poison. Maybe it's time I use the poison in me for something useful."

"Since when is poison ever a good thing?" asked Blonde Mal.

"Since poison can be used against those who wronged me," said Mal. "I don't know how I intend to defeat my mother. I don't know if I will spare her or kill her, but I do know one thing. I'm me. I've always been me."

Black Jacket Mal smiled a proud smile, looking like a proud sister. Post-Death Mal rolled her eyes, displeased by what she heard. Blonde Mal had a nervous smile on her face, unsure of how to feel about how grey everything is.

"Well, don't come crying to me if you get everyone you love killed," said Post-Death Mal.

Post-Death Mal disappears.

"Don't forget about Ben, Mal. Good or bad, you belong with him, and he with you," said Blonde Mal.

Blonde Mal disappears.

"I'm proud of you, M," said Black Jacket Mal. "Just don't let Eleo get to your head. You make your own choices. You always do."

Black Jacket Mal disappears.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that, Gothzilla," said Mal. "Everyone needs an angel on their shoulder."

Once again, Mal stood alone in the ice castle. But now, she feels a little bit better. Her grief and guilt were still fresh inside, but after "talking to herself," she now her will and determination have been rejuvenated. What she just went through may be taking "look at yourself in the mirror" to a crazy new level, but maybe it's exactly what she needed. For so long, she has believed her transformations change her from one person to another. But the truth is that her transformations only open up the sides of her that she represses. Despite having two sides of her heart (good and evil) constantly battling each other for control, she is and always will be Mal. Just good ole' Mal.

Now that her head is somewhat clear, Mal decided to turn her attention towards upstairs. She has been sensing something magical upstairs, but she was too depressed earlier to check it out.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Mal slowly walks up the stairs to the top floor. She didn't want to disturb whatever was up there. What she sensed was something... cold. Really cold. And it's the ice castle or the snowstorm outside. It's something else. When Mal reached the top of the stairs, she found what she sensed.

Queen Elsa, encased in the icy wall.

Considering Elsa is a master of ice and snow, it's obvious that she imprisoned herself in this very castle. Mal's best theory on why she would imprison herself from the world is because of Anna's death, which happened a day before Elsa's disappearance. Given Elsa's dark side and how this new world brings out the worst in the best people, it's not so hard to believe Elsa has lost the will to go on.

Mal places her hand on the wall and begins to use the Dragon's Fire to melt it. But after a couple seconds, she decided not to, removing her hand from the iceberg.

"No, you deserve a better world, your majesty," Mal said.

Mal slowly walks backwards away from the frozen queen. Just looking at her reminded Mal of the time Ben used Elsa as an example for her on how to combat her dark side. Right now, that's all Mal could think of. When Ben tried to save her soul. He may have failed, but that doesn't mean her soul can't be saved now.

 **If you've read "Long Live Evil" (Part 2 of my Forever Wicked series), then you can tell that Part 2 is why I wrote the whole Mal talking to herself thing. I loved that part so much in Long Live Evil (Mal talking to a darker reflection of herself) that I wanted to do it again. It may be a little crazy, but I thought it would be a nice addition to Mal's journey of figuring herself out.**

 **So, what do you think?**


	17. Mother and Daughter

**Hope I wasn't gone too long. All I can say is brace yourselves and enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, Mustang52**

After a week living in Elsa's ice castle, Mal returns to her mother's castle. The first place she goes to is, of course, her room. It would seem that Maleficent has kept her room exactly how it is, including the damaged secret room. One thing that's out of place was the secret bulletin board she set up to plan her takeover. It was on the floor and cracked in half. Maleficent obviously found it and was enraged further by her own daughter's betrayal. Mal kneels down and picks up the photo of Lonnie. Of all the casualties suffered by the heroes in the battle on the Isle, Lonnie was the one that broke them the most.

"I'm sorry, Lonnie," Mal apologized. "But I will make it up to you. Jay is remembering, thanks to you. I will make him remember it all, even if it'll hurt him. But you would want him to remember."

Mal then picks up the photo of Carlos.

"Thank you," she said. "I never would've made it this far without you. I know I made a huge mistake, but at least I have you by my side. If I ever needed just one ally in this madness, I'm glad it's you."

Mal picks up the photo of the man she loves. Ben.

"Oh, Ben. If only you can remember," Mal wished. "But after what happened... will you even listen to me? I want nothing more than for you to remember who I am and what we are to each other. We're losing this war, and I need you with me, holding my hand, holding me close to the end. If only you remember. If only."

"Well, ain't that sweet?"

Mal's time of sorrow ceased when her mother's voice rang in her ears. Mal puts down the photo, but she didn't turn around. She would rather keep her back turned on her.

"Been searching for you for a week. Couldn't find you anywhere," said Maleficent.

"I know you've been using the Dragon's Blood that connects us to try and find me," said Mal. "It won't work. Not anymore."

"Yes, and why is that?" Maleficent wondered, although sounding suspicious as if she knew something.

"You tell me," Mal dared.

"Such a disappointment you are," Maleficent said, sounding definitely disappointed.

"I know. You told me that back on the Isle," said Mal. "But like I said, I don't care."

"Then why did you come back here?" asked Maleficent. "You think I would forgive you."

"I'm not seeking forgiveness," said Mal. "I'm here to tell you that I'm not afraid."

"Oh, you aren't?" Maleficent questioned, not believing her.

"You remember last week, don't you? The only fear I felt was for the resistance's lives. Not because of you," said Mal. "You don't scare me anymore."

"You so sure about that? Then why aren't you looking at me?" asked Maleficent. "Turn around and say it to my face. I dare you, young lady."

"I don't have to," said Mal. "The sight of you makes me sick. It only reminds me of the apocalypse that has infected these lands. The next time I look at you, it'll be when we face each other for the last time."

"Oh, I bet you just wish things were different, weren't they?" Maleficent asked slyly.

"Very," Mal muttered with anger.

"I think I can picture what you're imagining," said Maleficent. "Blue sky. Pretty flowers. Singing birds. Maybe a carriage ride with Ben wearing a sickly purple dress made by Queen's daughter."

Mal's eyes opened wide, shocked by what she just heard. She finally turned around to face her mother, who had one heck of an evil smile on her face.

"You remember?" Mal asked.

"That you and your friends went to Auradon Prep? That you betrayed me by not giving me the wand? Yes, I remember everything," Maleficent confirmed. "And I mean, _everything_."

Mal steps back and says, "But how? I haven't done anything to you."

"Oh, you did, but you just didn't know," said Maleficent. "Remember that little stare-off from a few weeks ago, when you refused to tell me where the resistance was hiding? You beating me was confusing at first, but then I remembered that it's happened before. Like I said, I remember everything."

"So that's why you've been acting weird every time we talk. You were remembering," Mal realized.

"Slowly. It took some time, but I got it all back eventually," said Maleficent.

"You didn't just play me like a chess piece. You played me like a fiddle," Mal growled, frustrated that she failed to see this coming.

"You wanted to play god, so I thought I'd make you feel what it's like to be played by one," said Maleficent.

"You're no god. Just a villain who got lucky," said Mal.

"Only because you weren't looking," said Maleficent. "You were so sure of your victory that you wanted to believe I was another pawn on the board."

"I suppose you're right about that," Mal admitted. "Like a villain, my arrogance got the best of me. Won't make that same mistake again."

"I could defeat you right now and lock you up for an eternity right now," Maleficent muttered vengefully.

"Go ahead. Try me, mom. I beat you before. I almost did it again last week. You have no idea how powerful I've become since Coronation," said Mal.

"No, I don't," Maleficent said, knowing it's the truth. "But you know I never give up without finishing the fight. And ours is far from over, Mal."

"I'd end it here right now if I wanted, but I know that won't be enough," said Mal.

"Why waste your chance? I'm right here," Maleficent taunted.

"I'm wasting it, because killing you is no longer part of my agenda," said Mal.

Maleficent fake-gasped and said, "I'm shocked." Then she corrected herself. "Oh, wait. It is a shock. I'm shocked, Mal. If you won't cooperate, the least you can do is show me the real you."

"I know the real me, and it's not who you want me to be," said Mal.

"I spent almost two decades molding you into the perfect heiress, and you use all that to be a hero?!" Maleficent said, disappointed to the max.

"This is the first time we really spoke since Coronation and let me tell you this. After all this time, I still stand with what I said back then," Mal said determinedly. Then her voice turned calm. "I want to be good."

"Good? That's not what I saw right in front of me last week," said Maleficent. "The anger, the hatred, all that evil I saw on your face, I almost felt proud."

"Yes, you did see the worst side of me on the island, and I'm disappointed at myself for it," said Mal.

"Ugh! You shouldn't be!" Maleficent shouted, fed up with all this goodness coming out her daughter's mouth. "Come with me."

Maleficent waves her scepter around and transports herself and her daughter somewhere else.

* * *

Mal and Maleficent poof on the top of a tall mountain overlooking the land below. If the idea is to show her how horrible the world is, Mal had already seen it up close. It's not as ugly from afar as Maleficent would think. But she brought her here, so Mal might as well hear what she has to say, even if she won't listen. Maleficent made sure Mal had her eyes focused on what's below.

"Look at all this, Mal. We are on top of the world," said Maleficent. "It's everything we've dreamed of for years, and it's finally here. I don't know how or why it happened, but I don't care. I like it."

"Well, I do know how and why," said Mal. "But there's nothing I can do to change it all back. All I can do is change what it's front of me."

"Oh, wake up, Mal!" Maleficent scolded. "You can't tell me that a part of you still doesn't wish for this, not after what I saw on the battlefield. We finally have everything. We can keep it that way if you just come to your senses."

"I already have, and you're not talking me out of it," said Mal.

Maleficent groaned like she never groaned before. She paced for a little while, muttering who knows what angrily. Meanwhile, Mal checks on her nails and adjusts her hair. That's right. Maleficent is boring her so much right now, all Mal can care about now is fixing herself like a princess.

"I can't even understand... how do I even know how to... this is ridiculous... I'm the one in control, not... oh, what am I going to do with her?" Maleficent rambled.

"Are you done?" Mal asked sarcastically.

"Don't get smug with me, young lady," said Maleficent. "Remember. I remember everything. And that makes me more in control of the situation. Either you do the right thing or I will have no choice but to..."

"Execute me? Bury me with the corpses of my fallen allies? You may be evil, but even you're not audacious enough to take me out," said Mal.

"Provoke me further and I just might have the audacity to do so," Maleficent threatened.

Mal chuckled and said, "I did miss you, mom."

"Oh, really?" Maleficent questioned. "Doesn't sound like it."

"Assumptions. So annoying," Mal commented. "This world may have changed, but I didn't change with it. I am who I still am from before. And who I am still believes you and I can have a true mother-and-daughter relationship."

"Then what's stopping you from feeling delightful about a wish come true?" asked Maleficent.

"Right now, you," Mal answered directly

Losing her temper, Maleficent begins her transformation. However, before the green smoke could fully engulf Maleficent, Mal quickly unleashed a blast of dark magic at her. It actually hurt Maleficent and cancelled the transformation before it could be complete. _That's new_ , she thought.

"Well, are you gonna finish what you started?" asked Maleficent.

"No," said Mal. "I wish I could ask you to rethink about your life, but that would be foolish. When we're done, you're gonna wish you learned about love."

"If you came to me to frighten me, you're failing," said Maleficent.

"I'm trying to give us what we want. To be a family," Mal said. "That's all I ever wanted for us. But if I can't get you to listen to me through words and emotions, then maybe I'm gonna have to do this the villain way."

"You are such a conundrum, Mal," Maleficent said, baffled beyond baffled. "You're good and you're bad at the same time. What kind of hero or villain are you?"

Mal smirks and says, "I'm an anti-hero."

And with that, Mal disappears, leaving her mother feeling even more baffled. Now she finally has a taste of a true conversation with the real Mal. No more lies or acts. Who Maleficent talked to just now is the real Mal. No longer the emotional betrayer at the Coronation but now an enigmatic and all-powerful entity.

* * *

Meanwhile, somewhere on the other side of the Great Wall, the still wheelchair-bound Eleanor stared at the unforgiving skies above. Not a single star above. Just darkness and thunder and lightning. It's depressing, much like how she's feeling right now. Eleanor takes off her mother's necklace, only to sprain her already aching shoulder doing so. It's been a week and she still hasn't fully recovered. Another con about having all her magic locked up in her mind and separated from the rest of her body. Not only can she feel pain like a normal person but she also heals slowly like a normal person.

She takes off her necklace with one hand and holds it in her hand, staring at it for a long time. Then her fingers curled around it. Her fist shook, as if she was angry. She looked up as she released words from her mouth with a very loud (and hurt) tone.

"Why do you do this to me?!"

She was talking to her mother, the Enchantress, wherever she is.

"I did everything I could to make you proud and you still leave me alone!" She shouted. "You gave me two simple tasks. Protect Ben and stop the ultimate darkness before it comes. Well, the dark times are here and here I am suffering for my failure. And you still refuse to come to me. I don't even know if you're alive or not, but if you are, what kind of mother watches her daughter get battered and bruised without doing anything?"

Eleanor opens her hand and looks at the necklace again.

"I'm sorry, mom, but there's nothing more I can do," said Eleanor. "Your so-called mission is in Mal's hands now. I'm done letting you control me."

Eleanor throws her mother's necklace off the cliff. Eleanor breaks down into tears as the necklace falls into a roaring river. Without her magic, Eleanor can't go after it if she ever changed her mind. The necklace that the Enchantress herself gave to her daughter, it's gone, probably forever.

 **It's short, but that was intentional. As for the next chapter, that's where it's going to be packed. From the resistance to the other VKs, the aftermath of the Isle battle has yet to be fully explored. It'll take a while to write, though.**

 **Until then, please leave a review and let me know what you think.**


	18. Rivals

**Now, it's time to check on the Resistance and the rest of the VKs. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, CarvieCamfia2**

Despite advising herself against it, Audrey decided to trust Mal and follow the compass given to her. The compass that is supposed to lead her and her people to a safe place. It led them through bizarre doorways, a misty city, a sandstorm, a acidic lake, until they finally reached the "safe place." The so-called safe place is a very large forest somewhere in the Borderlands. At first, they though it was a trap. But when Fairy God Mother arrived along with Ben and the others, she discovered that the forest is protected by a barrier than renders them invisible from the outside, be it natural sight or magical sight. It won't keep them safe for long, but they weren't exactly expecting to stay in one place for long. They just needed a place to lay low until their next plan of attack.

As soon as Ben and the rest of the resistance arrived, the first thing the resistance did is bury Lonnie. Mal did not only just safely transport Ben and company to safety but she also transported Lonnie's dead body along with them. That was because Mal believes Lonnie deserves a proper burial. CJ and Chad dug a hole in the ground while others created a makeshift coffin for Lonnie. Ben didn't want magic to be involved in Lonnie's burial.

Before they could lower the coffin with Lonnie's body in it to the hole, all of her closest friends said some words.

Chad said, "No matter how many times she threatened to hurt me, no matter how much I unintentionally infuriated her, she was a great warrior and a great friend."

Jane said, "As temperamental as she can be, I couldn't blame her. I treated her like she treated me. A friend."

CJ said, "She hated me from the start, but I did my best to earn her trust. It was an honor to fight by her side."

Jordan said, "I can remember when she was once like a happy child. She wouldn't admit it, but I always saw that same child in her before now."

Carlos said, "She taught me how to use a sword. I never wielded one in battle before, but if I ever do, it would be to thank her."

Audrey said, "She was like a sister to me. A complicated, angry one, but a sister nonetheless. I loved her like one. I will miss her."

Ben said, "She was family. And she treasured the people close to her like they were her family. It hurt me to watch her lose herself after her parents' demise, but I stood by her through it all. And she stood by me so I didn't become like her after I lost my parents. I'll miss her, as we all will. The best we can do to honor her is to keep fighting. She would want that."

The rest of the resistance begin to mourn for their loved ones who have also perished in battle. It was a truly sad day for the resistance. They have lost way too many allies and now they're lost even more. But now, with their numbers dwindling to a dangerous low, one would think fighting on would be no longer an option. Yet, they must honor their fallen by continuing to fight the war, no matter how dangerous it is. It's been that way for 16 years and they're not gonna stop now. They just need time to rest and grieve.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Meanwhile, Audrey, Chad, Jane, Carlos, CJ, Jordan, Ally, and Scarlet are gathered up in a spot far way from the rest for a private conversation. They've been sharing stories about one particular person. Mal.

"How could you trust Mal, Audrey?" Chad questioned the princess. "She's the reason Lonnie is dead."

"I don't know why I did it, Chad, but something in me yelled at me to trust the compass," said Audrey.

"And you don't think this is some sort of trap?" asked Ally.

"I did, but then she showed me what happened to Carlos," said Audrey. She looks at Carlos and says, "Mal never hurt you, did she?"

"That was all Maleficent," said Carlos. "I'm sorry I gave up our location. The torture... it was too much."

"I think we all would've cracked," said Jane.

"No one's blaming you, Carlos," said Audrey.

"We should be blaming Mal," said Chad.

"Have you ever considered the possibility that she really is changing for the better?" Carlos questioned the prince with rising anger. "Only I know what she did to me. She kept me safe from her mother. She helped us escape, twice. At Faraway Cove and on the island. She saved Jordan even. We would all be dead if it wasn't for her."

"We would've been dead because of her," Chad argued. "Just because you're not a traitor, that doesn't mean I trust her."

"Wake up, Chad!" Carlos shouted.

"That's enough, both of you," Audrey interrupted.

"Who's side are you on?" Chad asked.

"I... I don't know," said Audrey, unsure.

"All signs point to her helping us," said Scarlet. "I saw her spare Lonnie back on the island, not mention she gave her that new hairstyle."

"A new hairstyle and they automatically become BFFs. I don't get all this," said CJ.

"You guys have no idea," Carlos muttered.

Carlos knew that it would be pointless to try and tell the others that this world is all wrong. They would just think he's crazy, so he decided to just play along, much like what Mal has been doing this whole time.

"I don't want to believe it, but why would she kill one of her own just to save me?" Jordan wondered, uncertain of how to feel about Mal.

"A grudge?" Ally guessed bluntly.

"VKs don't settle grudges by trying to kill each other," said CJ. "We try to make each other suffer or make sure to put the other in his or her place."

"Comforting," Jane said with nervous sarcasm.

"You guys are never gonna believe me, are you?" Carlos asked, annoyed.

"Give us a good reason why we have to, Carlos," said CJ.

"You're doubting me, your boyfriend?" Carlos questioned.

"I'm doubting you because, hello, it's Mal," CJ replied.

"Who has done nothing to make me distrust her but everything to make me trust her," said Carlos. "You guys know I'm not under some evil spell. Why can't you at least admit that there is something to this? Is it because where she comes from? Because she's VK?"

"That's not what we're saying," said Audrey.

"Then what are you saying?" Carlos accused. "She took me to Robin Hood's grave, gave me some closure. She saved us at Faraway Cove because I asked her to and she delivered. If it wasn't for her, my mother would've..."

Carlos stopped himself. He remembered that Evie didn't want him to tell anyone that she saved her from Cruella De Vil. Chad and CJ are the only ones other than Carlos who know about Evie's heroic act, having witnessed it themselves.

"What, did she save you from your mother?" asked Jordan.

"Y-Yeah. Something like that," Carlos lied.

"Even if we want to trust her, it's too dangerous," said Audrey. "She's caused too much damaged."

"Agreed."

That response came from Ben, who decided to reveal that he has been listening the whole time. He didn't look happy at all. I mean, no one should be happy right now, but Ben's unhappiness was on a different level. The kind that scares the others.

"Which is why we can't trust her," said Ben.

"Didn't she save you from Gaston?" Jordan asked. "Yeah, Will Scarlet saw it and he told me."

"Whatever her intentions are, they can't be for any good reasons," Ben assumed. "Even if she wanted to overthrow her mother, who's to say she isn't planning to take over herself and make her rule worse than her mother's? She's too unpredictable to trust."

"She saves your life, saves all of us, and you still doubt her?" Carlos questioned.

"Lonnie's dead, Carlos!" Ben said loudly with grief. "None of this would've happened if she hadn't gotten involved with you and with us in the first place. We've lost too much to take chances like this. I will not let what happened to Lonnie happen to anyone else. So, as from now on, nobody is to be in contact with Mal. That goes double for you, Carlos."

"But Ben," Carlos protested.

"Not buts, Carlos!" Ben hollered. "I don't know what kind of friendship you claim to have developed with her, but it's cost us too much. You didn't betray us, but we can't trust your judgment anymore. From now on, you will be under 24-hour surveillance."

"What?!" Carlos exclaimed.

"This is not a negotiation, Carlos," said Ben. "I can't have anyone in the resistance be compromised again, especially you."

"I'll be happy to take the 24-hour shift," CJ said, glaring at Carlos in a threatening way.

While Carlos and CJ argue like a married couple, Ben walks away to tend to the wounded and the grieving. Audrey followed him. She was clearly worried about how he sounded back there. Ben can sense a mommy-like lecture coming, which he is so not in the mood for. But Audrey didn't care what he was in the mood for. She didn't like how he acted towards Carlos.

"Look, I don't trust Mal, but you didn't have to be that harsh with Carlos," said Audrey.

"Audrey, he trusted her, and we all paid the price," Ben reminded her.

"I don't disagree, but it's like you're losing your trust in him," said Audrey.

"He snuck out on us because of her," Ben reminded, sounding like he's about to lose his temper again. "We brought her to our home because he didn't even try to escape from her the first time she captured him! I can't trust his point of view anymore, Audrey. We just buried Lonnie!"

"And it hurts us just as much as it hurts you. She's not just your family. She's our family, too," said Audrey. "But you're too angry, Ben."

"Can you blame me, Audrey? Do you think I don't have the right to be angry?" Ben questioned.

"I... no. No, I can't blame you, and you have every right to be angry," said Audrey, unable to argue about this.

"All I'm doing is making sure Carlos doesn't risk our lives again," said Ben. "24-hour surveillance. I am not changing my mind, Audrey."

"And I don't expect you to," said Audrey. "I just want to be sure you're all right. You know what I mean."

"I'm not all right, Audrey," Ben admitted, his voice cracking due to grief again. "And I don't think I ever will be until this war is over. Either we win or they win."

Ben leaves Audrey alone. She decided not to pursue him as she has seen that he is in too much pain to be reasoned with. _Just like his father_ , she thought.

* * *

At the shore near Hook's Bay, parked right there is The Lost Revenge. Uma, Harry, and Gil are asleep after a long night of searching for Mal and the resistance. They didn't want to sleep, but their bodies forced them to. Good thing Gil was awake long enough for park the ship or else The Lost Revenge would be floating aimlessly on the waters all night. Before you know it, they wake up crashing into an iceberg.

But noises from the outside is what woke them up. Uma was the first to awaken while Harry and Gil were too sleepy to wake up quickly. Uma exited the captain's quarters to check on what's happening.

She found the rest of her crew on the beach, all unconscious. Desiree was the last pirate standing, but she magically knocked out by none other than...

Mal.

"Mal," Uma snarled angrily.

Uma jumps off her ship and charges at Mal with her sword in hand, screaming with fighting spirit. As she took her first swing, Mal just vanished. All Uma struck was purple smoke. As she coughed due to walking right through the purple smoke, Mal teleported behind her and kicked her in the back, knocking her down.

"I didn't come here to fight," said Mal.

"After what you did to me..." Uma gestured to her face scar. "Why else would you be here?"

Uma tried using her magical hair to hit Mal, but she just grabbed her incoming braid and tugs on it, hurting Uma a little.

"Ow," said the sea witch.

Mal releases the braid and says, "You think I betrayed you..."

"I don't think. It's obvious!" Uma interrupted angrily. "You were supposed to be my best friend, Mal. Instead, you've been plotting against me and your entire kingdom behind our backs. You insulted me and called me _not_ your best friend. After all we've been through, you just gave me this mark on my face without any remorse."

"Maybe, but I want to make up for it," said Mal.

Uma chuckles hysterically. "I don't understand you," she said angrily.

"No one ever does," said Mal.

"Despite everything we've done together, all the pranks we pulled together, the battles we fought together, the slaughters we did together, you turned your back on me and left me screaming with a burning wound on my face that you caused," Uma continued, bitter and betrayed. "Did our friendship even mean a thing to you?"

"To be honest, I don't know," said Mal, secretly referring to her past friendship with the real Uma. "For so long, I thought you were part of my bad phase I can just throw away. But maybe there's a part of me that wants to treasure it.

"And you have the gall to say that to my face? You are unbelievable," Uma said angrily.

"It's just one of my many famous qualities," Mal smiled.

"You don't deserve Harry," Uma growled.

"I decide that."

That was Harry, who had just woken up to witness the almost-catfight between Mal and Uma. Mal sees that Harry has replaced his hand with a hook. Well, the real Harry never got the chance to put on a hook, so Mal thinks this is doing him a favor. _Sick sense of humor_ , she said to herself.

"Nice hook," Mal said.

"I have you to thank for that," Harry said bitterly.

"I thought you always wanted a real hook for a hand," said Mal.

"Not this way," said Harry. "Not by your doing, luv."

Then Gil showed up.

"Why must you guys interrupt my 8 hours of well-required rest?" Gil asked.

Mal rolls her eyes and mutters, "The real Gil definitely doesn't sound like that."

"Three to one, Mal," Uma said. "How do you expect to get out of this one?"

"I could just snap my fingers and burn you three into ashes, but I won't do that," said Mal. "That is, unless you insist on refusing to listen to me."

"You betray us, betray all of us, and you expect me to listen to you?" Uma questioned as if she just heard a joke. "Who are you?"

"You tell me, Shrimpy," Mal replied.

"Don't call me that," Uma said angrily.

"Why not, Shrimpy?" Mal smirked.

"Stop it!" Uma growled.

"Mal, you should stop it. You know how incandescent Uma gets when you refer to her by that on-the-nose insult," said Gil.

"Oh, stop acting all omniscient, Gil," Mal interrupted.

"If you don't stop, Mal, I will stop you," Harry warned.

"You wanna lose another hand, Harry?" Mal warned back. "Are you gonna sacrifice another hand just for Shrimpy's sake?"

"Stop calling me that!" Uma shouted.

"Fine. Fine," Mal said. Under her breath, she said, "Shrimpy."

Pushed to her boiling point, Uma picks up her sword and charges at Mal again. Mal simply steps aside and pushes Uma in the back, causing her to stumble forward uncontrollably. Uma manages to stay on her feet and charges again. Mal ducks under her sword swing and then knocks her down with a simple fireball. Uma conjures a spark of underwater magic and throws it at Mal, but she literally blows it out like a candle. Refusing to give up, Uma uses her limited power over the ocean to magically create a small water tornado and throws it at Mal.

Mal snaps her fingers and quickly evaporates the entire water tornado with a little fire.

"Astonishing," Gil said, impressed.

Harry elbows Gil in the gut as punishment.

"Astonishingly irritating," Gil corrected himself.

Mal laughed a little. The real Harry tends to hit the real Gil when he says or does something stupid.

"And you think this is funny? Of course," Uma said sarcastically.

"Man, I missed this side of you, Shrimpy," Mal said with full honesty.

Uma screams in anger again as she charges again with her sword in hand. Mal conjures a sword that is entirely made of fire. Using it to block Uma's next swing, it cuts Uma's sword in half.

"Harry! Gil!" Uma called.

"Oh, you want them to fight me? That's humorous," Mal laughed.

With a wave of her hand, Mal magically pushes Harry towards The Lost Revenge and sticks him to the side of the ship. With another wave of her hand, Mal buries Gil into the sand with only his head exposed.

"Being the most powerful can be so boring sometimes," Mal said. "No one can give me a real fight except CJ and my mom."

Uma decided to try something else. In this world, Ursula made her daughter her own necklace that would allow her to transform into a giant eight-legged monster. Uma was about to jump into the water, only for Mal to block her path with a wall of fire. Mal quickly grabs Uma by the arm and holds her fiery sword dangerously close to the sea witch's neck.

"Mal, don't!" Harry begged.

"What's the point, Harry? She was willing to kill her mother in cold blood. Why should I be any different?" Uma said. "What are you waiting for, Mal? You want me to suffer first?"

"Believe me, I do," Mal said. "But this is all too wrong for me to enjoy this."

Mal lets go of Uma. Then nothing happened for the next few seconds. Uma quickly turns around only to see a bucket full of shrimp get dumped on her head. As she screams in anger constantly and tries to remove the bucket from her head, Mal laughs as she walks away from the young sea witch.

While Mal heads towards Harry, Uma starts seeing things in her mind, much like the others who have experienced this feeling once Mal did something impactful. Uma sees...

Another time Mal dumped a bucket of shrimp on her head.

Her and Mal arm-wrestling in a chip shop.

Dancing with Ben at the Royal Cotillion.

Transforming into a giant eight-legged creature and fighting Mal, who turned into a dragon.

Kissing Harry for the first time.

Mal slamming her face into a barrel of shrimp.

And many other images.

All the images stop just as Uma finally pulls the bucket off her head. She would've immediately attacked Mal for the bucket stunt, if she hadn't just realized that this apocalyptic world she's living in is a complete fake. The villains' rule, the heroes losing, her friendship with Mal, all of it has been fake. But then she remembered that her hair smells like shrimp again.

"Ugh!" She was angry, which should be expected.

Mal approaches Harry, who remains stuck on the side of The Lost Revenge as if he was glued there. Mal touches his hook with that deadly stoic expression on her face. Harry tried to shake himself free, but he couldn't even move a finger.

"I will not show fear," Harry said bravely.

"I don't expect you to," said Mal.

Mal releases Harry from the ship.

"Unless I want you to," Mal added.

"Was my love not enough for you, Mal?" Harry asked, still sounding betrayed.

"How about I ask you a question," said Mal. "When I cut your hand off, did you... remember anything?"

Harry flashed back to what he saw last week. When Mal cut off his hand, something did in fact pop up in his mind. An image flashed right before his eyes, something he's never seen and doesn't remembered. Mal cutting his hand off, only they were in a cave when this happened, not on the Isle.

"You have severed my hand before," Harry remembered. "But I do not understand."

Mal now knows that her cutting his hand off back in the cave in the real world was the only thing he remembers. He's so confused, which obviously meant the rest of his memories are still locked away. Fortunately, she had an idea of another way she could trigger the rest of his memories.

She's actually been chewing gum this whole time. She takes it out of her mouth and sticks it to his hook. When Harry refused to eat it, Mal takes his hook in her hand and forces the gum into his mouth. As soon as the chewed gum touched his tongue, Harry begins seeing more strange pictures in his mind.

Sailing to the Isle of the Doomed with Uma and Gil.

His first encounter with Mal after her "departure to Auradon."

Him flirtatiously touching Mal's hair with his hook.

And thousands more.

By the time Harry remembered everything, Mal had already walked away, knowing that what she did worked. Harry chews on the already chewed gum as he attempts to process the experience of having two sets of memories in his brain. It's giving him quite the headache, for one thing.

"To think, it was nearly real," Harry muttered.

Mal returns to Uma, who looks like she was about to lose her mind after what she just experienced. Mal just stood at a safe distance and waited until Uma was ready to talk. When Uma saw Mal, the first thing she did was go for a punch. Strangely though, Mal didn't even bother to dodge it. She just stood there, took the punch, and shrugged it off like it was nothing. Because it was nothing.

"Oh, sweet mother of mother. What is that smell?" Mal said insultingly, unable to ignore Uma's shrimpy-smelling hair.

Uma growled in anger. "You meddling, patronizing, heartless daughter of a..."

"Dragon?" Mal interrupted.

"Oh, I was gonna say something far worse," said Uma.

"Angry that you didn't get what you want?" Mal taunted. "All that effort, all that planning, all you went through to get to that stupid wishing well, all for nothing."

Feeling so angry at her rival, Uma goes for another punch. This time, Mal defends herself by catching her fist. Uma tried to push hard, but Mal held her fist back with barely any effort. In the end, Uma gave up, but she was still very angry. Now that she remembers everything, she remembers coming so close to have everything she ever wanted. One wish and it would all be hers, but Mal ruined it for her.

"You just can't let me get what I want, can't you?" Uma asked angrily.

"Now, why would I ever let you get what you want?" Mal replied. "All you want is revenge and conquest. You would have me and everyone else under your thumb, all just to finally beat me. So sad."

"You ruin everything, Mal," said Uma. "Everything! For me and for everyone else!"

"Yeah, I do," Mal said, not even bothering to deny it. "I made you angrier than ever before and I paid the price for it. To think, all this..." She gestured to the cruel new world they live in. "The carnage, the mayhem, the misery, all of it is because of you and me. Mostly me, but you get the point."

"This isn't what I wanted," Uma grumbled.

"And it's not what I wanted either," said Mal. "But we can fix this. You and me."

Uma responds by backing away and pointing her sword at Mal's face.

"You think that just because you helped me remember everything that I would actually help you?" Uma questioned.

"Yeah," Mal answered bluntly.

"Then you're a fool," said Uma.

"I am many things, Shrimpy," said Mal. "A fool, a monster, a nuisance, etc. But above all else, I'm just me. Mal. Always have, always been. That's why I want your help."

"Wouldn't you rather get the help of your hero friends?" Uma responded.

"I need everyone, Uma," said Mal. "What happened on the Isle, it's made things way worse. I need all the people I've involved the most in my life, AK and VK, friend and foe, to help me end my mother's rule and correct this world."

"You actually expect us to live in this hell you call a world?" Uma questioned. "Why, I'd rather find that Wishing Well and undo all this..."

"You can't," Mal interrupted. "The Wishing Well is gone. For all we know, it doesn't exist in this world. Even if did, finding it is like looking for a needle in a planet-sized haystack. The best we can do is make this world better."

"Better for you?" Uma accused.

"Better for all of us," Mal said. "I told my mom the same thing, more or less."

"Wait, you told your mother face to face that you would stop her instead of just doing it right away?" Uma questioned.

"I know that's a cliche villain mistake, Uma, but I had a good reason," said Mal. "Even if I ended my mother, there is still an entire kingdom of evil to deal with. There would be a power struggle and the resistance will lose a lot more in the chaos. I need everyone to help me change the balance of power."

"And what makes you think I would agree to helping you?" asked Uma.

"Because you don't want to live in this world any more than I do," said Mal. "Unless it's you on my mother's throne, you'll never be content with any difference."

"But you'll just stop me from getting what I want," Uma predicted.

"I would," Mal said. "Because I know there's still a chance for us to patch things up. I know there's too much bad blood between us for that to happen, but even if we remain rivals after all this, I'm still hoping we can be like what we were when we were young. But better."

"And what if I just decide not to help you?" Uma asked, testing Mal's faith in her.

"Show me," Mal dared.

That's it. That's all Mal had to say. She just walked away from Uma after that. No lecture. No monologue. Just two simple words. As if Mal wasn't enough of an confusing mystery already, Uma continues to be beyond perplexed by the unpredictable entity that is Mal. One thing's for sure, she is beginning to question her predictable choice of refusing to ally with Mal.

"What do you take me for, Mal?" Uma muttered angrily.

Mal had one more person to deal with before she could leave. Gil. He remained buried in the sand, minus the head. A crab crawled on his head and he tried to shake it off. It pinched him on the nose before leaving. Now Gil needs to massage his nose, but the rest of his body is beneath the sand. Mal kneels down and pulls on Gil's ear, wanting him to hear what she has to say.

"Sophie," she whispered.

And with that one word, Gil sees so many different images in his head, images the feel like memories he has forgotten. Images like...

Fighting Ben for the first time on The Lost Revenge.

Going to Cotillion with Sophie.

Every single time he got smacked by either Ginny or Harry.

"Sophie," Gil mumbled. "Where is..."

Too late. Mal had already vanished before Gil could finish his question. But Gil was still buried neck-deep in sand. She probably thought his humiliation was too funny to end so quickly. Gil tried to dig himself out, but he couldn't move any of his limbs.

"Uh, help," Gil called.

Help will have to wait, unfortunately. Uma and Harry are too busy staring at one another. They just remembered everything from the old world and now everything they know about this new world is slowly starting to lose meaning. Harry was dating Mal and Uma had a secret crush on Harry. But now, they remember how they truly felt about each other. No words were exchanged as they walked closer towards each other.

Uma buries her head on Harry's chest as she embraces him, desperately seeking comfort in all this craziness. Harry hugged her back, also seeking comfort due to all this madness.

 **Craziness. Madness. That's just putting it gently. So, what do you think about this chapter?**


	19. Keep the Faith

**I know it's been a while, but I just needed time to re-energize my will to continue this story. Plus, I had Christmas reunions to attend to and other stories that I was working on. Anyways, enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, CarvieCamfia2, ceara1888**

Tortured. Beaten. Almost killed by his mother. The life of Carlos De Vil in this new world has been anything but good. And now, he's being kept under a 24-hour watch all because he trusted Mal. Worse, his girlfriend CJ offered to watch him for most of every 24 hours. Every time she watched him, she either glared at him or made sure he was in her peripheral view, but she was silent most of the time. When she did speak, she constantly expressed disappointment towards her boyfriend.

As for Carlos, all he could was adjust to the feeling of his memories being restored. What's weird is that despite remembering the old world, it feels like New World Carlos is still the dominant of the two sets of memories. It's as if it is the Carlos of this world is waking up to a new reality instead of the other way around. After all, he kissed CJ without even wanting to. New World Carlos' feelings are still strong within and he can't escape it even if he knew this is all fake.

"CJ, I know this is about more than just me trusting Mal," Carlos said, breaking the silence.

CJ stops being silent and tells the truth, just to finally let it out.

"Evie," she said. "The way you two looked at each other... there's something you're not telling me."

"She took care of me before I even met Robin Hood," Carlos explained.

"But that's not all, is it?" CJ guessed. "You two... you..."

"I do," Carlos confirmed. "I can't speak for her. All I know is that she still cares about me." Looking at CJ suspiciously, he says, "But this bothers you more not just because it'll get in the way of our relationship, doesn't it?"

"If what you're saying is true, if Mal truly did care about you, then I thought that maybe... I don't want to believe it, but..." CJ paused.

"Doesn't matter if you believe me or not. I'm still stuck here," said Carlos.

"You were planning on going after her again, aren't you?" CJ guessed.

"She's the only one powerful enough to defeat her mother, and I trust her," said Carlos.

"And what of Evie?" CJ questioned. "Do you trust her?"

"I trust her not to let me die," said Carlos.

"Good boy."

That came from nowhere, startling the two. One thing for sure is the voice belongs to someone they're familiar with. Just as CJ was about to draw her sword, she was grabbed from behind. A hand covered mouth. "Shh" was whispered to her ear.

"Unless you want to wake up with a bump on your head, keep quiet."

Yup, it's Mal.

Mal looks at Carlos and quietly tells him to meet her in the bushes to his right. Carlos nodded, understanding her. Mal then vanished via teleportation. Carlos holds CJ's hand and takes her deeper into the woods to look for the purple-clad sorceress. CJ didn't like this, but with her doubts about Mal vanishing and her boyfriend's faith in her, she had to see how this will go down.

The two walked for five minutes in the same direction until they reached a ravine. They finally found Mal, who was sitting on top of a tree branch eating a strawberry. When she was done, she jumped down.

"I'd ask how you found us, but I just remembered you led us to this place," said CJ.

"I'm really glad you're all safe," said Mal.

"Are we, Malsy?" CJ questioned.

"Well, did someone die?" Mal replied.

"Not yet," CJ said skeptically.

"This war will be over soon," Mal said ominously. "But I can't end it on my own."

"You need us," Carlos knew.

"I do," said Mal.

"Even if I wanted to trust you, how can we be sure you'll make things better for us?" asked CJ. "You're just as rotten, if not more, than your mother."

"If I was, then Carlos would be in an even worse state than now. Alive, but wishing he was dead," said Mal.

CJ was really having a hard time trying to say skeptical. Knowing Mal, she'd torture Carlos until he would bleed to near-death. Yet, it's her mother who's done the torturing. All these conflicting emotions are too much for CJ. One second, she looks calm. The next, she looks like she's about to have a breakdown. And the next, she draws a sword and charges at Mal screaming.

Mal steps aside to dodge CJ's first swing. Carlos was shocked.

"Get out of here, Mal!" CJ shouted.

"You want me to leave, you're gonna have to make me," Mal dared.

Mal draws her sword in time to block CJ's next swing. CJ starts pushing in a desperate attempt to break the sword lock that they're in right now. Instead of pushing back, Mal dashes to the left so her opponent will aimlessly stumble forward. Despite falling for it, CJ knew the trick well enough to quickly kick Mal in the stomach, knocking her down.

"Now that's what I like. A real fight," Mal said.

"Uh, guys," Carlos called.

Mal and CJ ignored Carlos and continued to fight. Mal blocks all of CJ's swings and even shows off with a quick spin strike. The two get caught in another sword lock, which CJ ends by headbutting Mal. CJ strikes Mal's sword off her hand and kicks her down again. CJ was about to kick Mal again, but Mal rolls away and grabs her sword. She blocks CJ's killing blow and kicks her with both feet. Mal gets up and starts swinging faster than before. CJ barely keeps us as Mal sneaks in a punch to temple. Mal then goes for a roundhouse kick to the neck.

"Guys, enough," Carlos begged as he got in between them. "CJ, what is wrong with you?"

"I... I... I don't..." CJ muttered while panting. "Something just... just..."

"I guess you're not as sane as you led everyone to believe," said Mal. "Maybe some things haven't changed after all." Under her breath, she mutters, "Psycho."

Triggered, CJ pushes Carlos aside and charges at Mal again. Just as CJ was about to strike, Mal turns and bends down, grabs CJ's arm, and flips her over her back. CJ lands on her back as Mal steps on her wrist to prevent her from picking up her sword.

"Lonnie taught me that move," said Mal.

"Since when?" CJ asked.

"Okay, Mal, that's enough," Carlos pleaded. "Just stop."

"I would," Mal said mischievously. "But there are certain friends I'd like you to meet."

Mal kicks CJ off the edge and into the ravine. CJ falls into the river below, near baby crocodiles. Carlos was about to jump in and save her, but Mal stops him. CJ tries to swim away as the baby crocodiles try to bite her. One crocodile managed to succeed, biting her on the shin. As her life flashed before her eyes, a bunch of images flashed in her mind.

Mal pushing her into the water, which was full of baby crocodiles.

Watching Mal, Evie, Ben, and Audrey talk to Freddie in Dr. Facilier's shop from the shadows.

Crashing the Neon Lights Ball.

All the intimate moments she shared with Harry.

Her fighting Mal on a ship in a powerful storm.

Plus several more important moments in her life.

CJ opens her eyes at last only to see that she was no longer in the water. She was back on dry land, looking up at Mal and Carlos. Carlos holds her hand in comfort while Mal looks at her as if she was waiting for her to say/do something. Then she remembered that the purple-haired VK just tried to kill her with baby crocodiles again.

"Are you okay?" asked Carlos.

"Don't touch me, Snow for Brains," CJ responded as she smacked Carlos' hand away.

CJ gets up and attacks Mal again, only to get a fiery punch to the face. This leaves a burning scar on her face, which she remembers from the old world. Carlos holds CJ back so she can calm down.

"Craziness just went from 1 to 11 with just one dive," Mal commented proudly.

"What was that all about, Mal?" asked Carlos.

Mal replies by asking CJ a question. "CJ, do you love Carlos?"

"Hell no," CJ answered.

"She's back," Mal said nonchalantly.

CJ breaks free from Carlos' hold and shoves him away from her. _Yup, she's back_ , Carlos thought.

"I can't believe I kissed you," CJ said with disgust. "Gross!"

"You should consider yourself lucky, CJ. He's a damn good kisser," said Mal.

"Wait. You mean... you two..." CJ paused.

The blonde pirate looks back and forth between Mal and Carlos. Mal had that smirk on her face. Carlos looked nervous and scratched the back of his head as he avoided eye contact with Mal. _How would Mal know how good Carlos kisses_ , CJ wondered. CJ quickly realized what this meant.

"Okay, that's even grosser," CJ commented. "You two being friends is one thing, but you two being... oh my god. And I thought Harry choosing me over Uma was crazy."

"I don't get it," said Carlos. "How did pushing you into a lake full of crocodiles restore your memories?"

"Let's just say that was the beginning of our infamous rivalry," Mal answered. "I thought Tic Toc wouldn't mind if I borrowed his kids for this moment."

"So, everything that's happened here, the war, me loving Carlos... it's not real?" CJ asked.

"All this, it's just an illusion created by the Wishing Well," said Mal.

"Then why do I still remember the life I lived here?" CJ asked. "Shouldn't that be gone?"

"Get used to it. I'm trying to," said Carlos. "Welcome back, CJ."

"Wait, you remember, too?" asked CJ.

Carlos shows the M-shaped scar on his shoulder and says, "That wasn't there before, not in this world."

"Before now, no one remembered the old reality except for me," Mal explained. "The way I see, only I can trigger everyone's memories fully. I just have to find the right trigger. With Carlos, it was the scar that marked him as my property. With you, CJ, it's your playdate with Tic Toc's babies."

"And with King Benny, it's True Love's Kiss," CJ guessed, rolling her eyes at the cliche.

"I haven't tried, but I have to be careful," said Mal. "Look, CJ, if you remember the old world, then you remember that we left off on a good note before this world existed. I tried to help you get Harry back and you helped me. Well, I need your help again."

"To overthrow your mother, I know," said CJ. "But after that, then what? Are we supposed to live in this hell forever?"

"Afraid so," said Mal. "But if you help me, I promise you, you can have what you've always wanted. Harry. He remembers, and so does Uma and Gil."

"Did they agree to help?" asked Carlos.

"They will, eventually," Mal said positively. "What do you say, CJ? You wanna team up again?"

"No betrayals this time?" CJ asked.

"No reasons for any," Mal replied.

"Fine, I'm in," CJ accepted. "What's first, _captain_?"

That was sarcasm, of course. CJ knows Mal is in charge and she doesn't like it. But she knew that Mal's leadership is what the resistance needs to win this war.

"You two stay here for now. Keep the others safe," said Mal. "I have to restore the memories of the others before we make our move?"

"Why not restore everyone's memories now?" asked Carlos.

"Like I said, I have to be careful," said Mal. "Plus, I need you two to crash a wedding next week."

"Evie and Jay's wedding," Carlos remembered.

"Whoa, wait? Those two are getting married?" CJ questioned, feeling disgusted again.

"I know. Now _that's_ disgusting," said Mal.

Mal gives Carlos a vanishing potion.

"Six days from now, at 2:30 PM, use that. It'll take you to me and then we can abduct the groom and bride together," said Mal.

"But only you can restore their memories entirely. Why need us?" asked Carlos.

"Because Evie needs incentive to listen to me. That would be you, Carlos," Mal answered.

"Don't tell me. He dated Blue Locks too?" CJ guessed.

"No," Mal responded.

CJ looks at Carlos and says, "But you want to."

Carlos blushes and looks away, embarrassed. Bad enough one person (Mal) knew about his true feelings for Evie, but for CJ to know it, he began to worry about everyone else knowing it as well. Secrets don't stay locked, unfortunately, but he preferred this one be kept between him, Evie, and Mal.

"Jane, Mal, Evie, and me. Wow, Carlos. You got game," CJ teased.

"He sure does," Mal agreed, teasing the white-haired archer as well.

This just made Carlos' blush even redder than it already was.

"So, while Lover Boy and I stay here and wait for your call, what are you gonna do, Malsy?" CJ asked.

"Right now, I'm gonna go have a word with a certain enchantress," said Mal.

Mal was about to snap her fingers when...

"Wait," CJ spoke. "Before you go, I just wanna say... my condolences. I'm sorry about Lonnie. I really am."

"Thank you," Mal replied.

Mal disappears. CJ and Carlos just stand there, thinking. As far as they know, two of them are the only ones among the resistance who remembers their old lives. They're stuck with each other, much to CJ's dismay.

"So, Carlos, do I get to be a bridesmaid at your wedding?" CJ teased.

"Let's just head back to camp," Carlos said, dismissing the question.

* * *

Somewhere on the other side of the forest, Eleanor was stargazing by herself. Still reeling from her emotional breakdown and rage-filled message to her mother, she needed time alone to recover. It may seem impossible, she admitted even to herself, but she just needed some peace and quiet for now. Unfortunately, the sound of magical poofing meant peace and quiet will have to wait.

"I begin to understand why those who are hurt within seek solitude for a while," said Eleanor.

"Carlos remembers who he is, remember? You can go to him if you need to talk to someone," said Mal. "There's also CJ, but she won't be pleasant company."

"Why did you come to see me, Mal?" asked Eleanor.

"I believe _this_ belongs to you," Mal said.

By "this," Mal meant Eleanor's necklace, which she held in her hand in front of the wheelchair-bound enchantress.

"You should've just left it to sink to the bottom of the ocean," Eleanor said bitterly.

"I'd pry into your head, but I think I prefer if you just tell me why you threw away something that belonged to your mother," said Mal.

"My mother? I don't know if I can even call her that," Eleanor said sadly. "Maybe I can forgive for leaving me to deal with you and Uma all by myself, but to leave me to suffer in this new world, how is she any better of a parent than the villains?"

"Okay, I can't argue with you about that," said Mal. "But she is still your mother. If you're still watching me, then you know I just talked to my mom about the two of us starting over. She's the worst and I still have hope she can be a real mother."

"At least you can speak to and see your mother," said Eleanor.

"Okay, Eleo, you don't get to be the mopey one here," said Mal. "Look, I don't know if your mother is alive or not, but my best guess is that she's waiting for you to succeed your mission. You give up now, you'll never see her again even if we do win this war."

"I'm done fighting, Mal," said Eleanor. "And why should I? Look at me. I can't do anything. All I can do is spy on everyone in the world, but what good is that?"

"What's my mom doing now?" Mal asked, testing her.

Eleanor closes her eyes and uses her Omni-Sight.

"She's discussing a plan of attack with Jafar," Eleanor said.

"Then you can still be useful," said Mal.

"Wow, the roles really have reversed," Eleanor said sarcastically.

"Yeah, it has," Mal said with disappointment. "You're the daughter of the Enchantress. You don't get to give up no matter how much bad there is in the world. Yes, your mother abandoned you and left you to fight on your own, but giving up is not the way to get rid of the pain. You have to fight the pain. That's the only way you'll ever feel better. I mean, Beast seemed like an irredeemable spoiled brat at first, but the Enchantress believed he could be saved. You want to see your mom again, don't you? Then believe. Believe she will come to you."

"How can I believe?" Eleanor asked as a tear streamed down her face. "Mal, the problem with every Auradonian is that they are almost incapable of being realistic. Well, I'm being realistic now. My mom's not coming no matter what I do or what happens to me."

"Keep believing that and you'll never get what you want," said Mal. "I believe my mom can still be the mom I've always wanted and that belief will come true one day. As they say, keep the faith. If you won't do this for your mom or for yourself, do it for Ben."

Mal vanishes, leaving the necklace behind. Eleanor refused to pick it up. How can she ever believe her mother will come for her after everything that has happened?

 **Now CJ remembers the real world. I hope you remember the end of Part 4 of "Poor Unfortunate Souls", because then you'd understand why CJ was so quick to agree to work with Mal. It's a "just in case" reminder.**

 **So, what do you think?**

 **HAPPY NEW YEAR!**


	20. Wedding Crashers

**Ever notice that I always do one week time jumps in this story? Well, this chapter's why. In the beginning of the story, it was said that Evie and Jay's wedding was a month away. Well, at this point in the story's timeline, it's already been a month. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for the most recent reviews: DragonEmperor999, danifan3000, CarvieCamfia2, xez2003**

 ** _To jessicabiggs16_: Happy New Year!**

Today is the day. Evie and Jay's wedding. Despite the devastating war on the Isle, the wedding plans did not change. Evie and Jay are too marry at the Auradon Cathedral, which was redecorated to look evil, of course. All murals of heroes were replaced with murals of villains. Trademark symbols of some of the most famous villains are displayed via banners. Of course, the place had some cracks and holes from the years of war, but it remained standing and the villains didn't even bother to fix the holes. Typical.

Evie was getting ready for her wedding at her mother's castle. The bridesmaid was helping her with her gown fitting. It's blue, of course, but it's styled like your typical wedding gown. As for the bridesmaid, it's Dizzy Tremaine. However, unlike in the old reality, the Dizzy Tremaine of this world is 16 years old and Evie's closest friend.

"Oh, you look fabulous, Evie," said Evil Queen. "All you need is a crown and you will look like a true queen."

Evie just stood there and said nothing. Besides silence, she wasn't looking happy at all. She actually looks sad, much to Evil Queen's confusion.

"Chin up, curve those lip edges, sweetie. It's your wedding day," said Evil Queen.

"Yeah... sure... hooray," Evie said with sarcasm.

"Okay, what's wrong? Is the skirt too short? Is there not enough blush on your face? Do you need to wash your hair again?" Evil Queen asked continuously.

"No, everything's fine," Evie lied.

"Then why aren't you happy, Evie dear?" asked Evil Queen.

"Mom, do you ever think that I'm marrying Jay for the right reasons?" Evie wondered.

"You two are inseparable and he's a prince now, so... I believe so," said Evil Queen.

"I mean, I want to marry him, but..." Evie paused.

"Too late for second thoughts, Evie," said Evil Queen. "Now that Maleficent's daughter has turned traitor, it is your chance to rule Auradon as queen. This marriage is the first step."

"And what if it's not what I want?" Evie asked. "What if I want something else?"

"Nonsense, Evie. It's exactly what you want," said Evil Queen. "It's exactly what I want for you."

Evil Queen leaves the room so Evie can finish with the fitting in peace. Evie just stood still and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked like a married woman already, except she didn't want to be that. Or maybe she didn't want to be married, at least not to Jay. After saving Carlos from being killed by his mother, she has been wound up ever since.

"Seriously, Evie, smile," said Dizzy. "Today is a very special day. _Your_ very special day."

"I know, Dizzy," Evie said faintly, still refusing to smile.

"Jay is, like, super cute and super charming... in a thieving, roguish kind of way... but you couldn't have done any better," said Dizzy.

"Weren't you the one who tried to set me up with your brother?" Evie questioned.

"Big mistake. And I said I was sorry, okay?" Dizzy said. "But really, why don't you look happy?"

"Dizzy, do you really think that I love Jay?" Evie asked doubtfully.

"He proposed to you and you said yes. If that's not proof, you two have toxic chemistry. The romantic kind of toxic," said Dizzy.

"But what if it's just infatuation, not love?" Evie wondered.

"You're not really having second thoughts, are you?" Dizzy asked. "Evie, you're getting married. You should be happy. It's your happily ever after come true... well, until the next happily ever after, which is running this kingdom once Maleficent's time is up or when she decides to call it quits."

"A happily ever after where I'm not happy?" Evie questioned.

"Oh, stop being such a drama queen, Evie," Dizzy said as she finished the fitting. "Okay, almost done with the dress. Oh, it looks gorgeous. Now, all you need is..."

She was cut short when she fainted. The purple sparkles in the air frightened Evie. That color can only mean two things, but she knew which one it is. Or rather, who _she_ is.

"Hey, E."

Mal. A.K.A. The Daughter of Maleficent. A.K.A. Traitor. She just poofed into the room drinking a blueberry milkshake. That was obviously a joke aimed towards Evie, given that her nickname is Princess Blueberry.

"Nice dress," said Mal.

"You shouldn't be here," Evie said with spite.

"It's my best friend's wedding day. How can I miss it?" Mal replied.

"We're not best friends," said Evie.

"Not in this life, at least," Mal said casually.

"In what lifetime would I ever be best friends with a traitorous, dowdy peasant like you?" Evie questioned.

"A life where no matter where I go, we will always meet in the space between," Mal answered.

These words triggered an image in Evie's mind. She's seeing herself singing a duet with Mal with the words "space between" in the lyrics. It was like they were saying goodbye or something and they're both sad about it.

"Those words mean anything to you?" Mal asked, noticing that her words triggered something.

"I... don't... know," Evie said, feeling very confused.

"Hmm, looks like your makeup is a bit off. Looks like you need a sister to help you with that face of yours," said Mal.

Another trigger. Evie sees an image of her helping Mal be pretty for a date. She can see herself applying blush and calling herself the sorceress' new sister. They seemed... happy talking to each other.

"Stop it. Stop," Evie insisted. "What are you doing to my head?"

"I'm not doing anything. Maybe you have a migraine... or doubts," said Mal.

"Doubts about what?" asked Evie.

"Evie, I saw you save Carlos from his mom," said Mal. "You can't deny that you don't care about him. But I think you don't just care for him, am I right?"

"Are you insinuating..." Evie paused, unable to finish the sentence due to the incoming words.

"Then tell me. Is my insinuation wrong?" Mal asked, daring her to deny. "Is it false that you feel something for Carlos, something more than just sympathy and compassion, something that's telling you that marrying Jay is wrong."

"If you're insinuating what I think you're..." Evie paused again.

Evie runs towards the emergency switch, which activates an emergency alarm. Mal poofs in front of Evie before she could flip the switch. All it took is a little green glow in her eyes to force Evie to step back and away from the switch.

"I need you to remember, E," said Mal.

"Remember what?" Evie asked, scared and confused.

"Remember who you really are," said Mal.

"I am not falling victim to one of your games, Mal," Evie refused. "You need to leave before I tell someone you're here. It's my wedding day and..."

"You don't want to marry Jay," Mal interrupted. "Think about it, E. This isn't love. You and Carlos, however, there is something there. Something good. Think on that before you think of saying _I do_."

Mal teleports out of the castle, leaving Evie to think about what she said. And she did. Love. When she tried to put that word in the same sentence with her and Jay, she can't stop putting a "don't" in that sentence. "Don't" as in, "I don't love Jay." Then she thought about Carlos. Thinking about him this much triggered more images in her head. All these images involve only her and Carlos.

A very intimate moment between them in a tree house.

Holding hands and singing together at some Royal Cotillion.

Ballroom-dancing in the hallways of some school.

"EVIE!"

Evil Queen's voice snapped Evie out of whatever she was in. All these images feel like memories of the past... but what past?

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Jay and his father are taking a magic carpet ride to the cathedral for the wedding. Jafar is excited to see his son get married, but Jay was feeling weird today. Every night, all he could think about was Lonnie. Why is that? He doesn't know her other than she's the daughter of Mulan and Li Shang. The image of her getting stabbed in front of him flashes in his mind constantly, but he doesn't understand.

"Big day, Jay," Jafar said excitedly. "You and your wife-to-be are the future of this kingdom. Make me proud boy."

"No problem," Jay said with fake excitement.

"Although, are you certain that girl is who you want as your bride and fellow ruler?" Jafar asked.

"Dad, look at her. How can I say no?" Jay replied.

"Well, whatever you kids are into these days," Jafar commented.

Once again, Jay's mind wanders to Lonnie. Why does she feel like someone important in his life even though he's never met her? But she seemed to know him, as if they've known each other for a long time.

It got worse for Jay when purple sparkles poofed up an image of Lonnie in the form of a wavy mirror. This caused him to see another strange image in his head.

Attemping to flirt with Lonnie, right after she tasted cookie batter made by him and Mal and Evie and Carlos.

"What is going on here?" Jay wondered.

* * *

Hours later, it was time. Villains, VKs, and sidekicks (those who lived through the Battle of the Isle) arrived at the Auradon Cathedral to witness the wedding between the son of Jafar and the daughter of Evil Queen. Well, all except Maleficent (too busy plotting, she said). The parents of the to-be-married are definitely the most excited for this day, mostly because their legacies will be what shapes the future for the villains.

Jay, the groom, stood at the altar wearing clothes fit for Sultan. Judge Claude Frollo also stood at the altar, having been ordained.

"Is there any job you won't do?" Jay questioned the minister.

"The Evil Queen wants this to be a perfect wedding, and that includes a famous name as the justice of peace," said Frollo.

The music plays as Evil Queen walks the bride down the aisle. The entire cathedral was at awe at how she looked. Definitely a queen in both lineage and appearance. Even Jay couldn't stop staring... until Lonnie came to his mind, that is. Evil Queen takes her seat while her daughter stands on the altar next to her husband-to-be. She wasn't looking happy, however.

"Hey, you okay?" Jay asked.

"No," Evie mumbled.

Judge Claude Frollo begins. "Villains, evil sidekicks, we are gathered here today to join Princess Evie, daughter of the Evil Queen, with Prince Jay, son of Jafar, in a wicked union that will determine the future of our lands."

"Which is all everyone cares about," Evie whispered to herself.

"What's that?" Jay asked.

"First things first, does the bride and groom have evil vows to exchange?" Frollo asked.

Evie didn't say anything, and neither did Jay. The crowd did say something, muttering to each other about the absence of vows in this wedding. Evie can see the disappointment on her mother's face. When Evil Queen pictured the perfect wedding for her daughter, it did not look like this.

"No vows? Well, that's unfortunate," said Frollo.

"Can we just skip to the I do's?" Evie asked.

"If you wish," said Frollo.

Jay once again noticed that Evie is acting weird. Jay didn't have a vow because he forgot about it, but Evie didn't look like she forgot to write a vow. She looked like she didn't want to say her vows.

"Do you, Prince Jay, take Princess Evie to be your wife?" asked Frollo.

"I... uh, I... I do," Jay said nervously.

"And do you, Princess Evie, take Prince Jay to be your husband?" asked Frollo.

"I... I..." Evie couldn't say anything else.

Evie continued to stutter, confusing everyone in the cathedral. Jay raised an eyebrow in confusion while everyone else continued to mutter to each other. Evil Queen kept looking at her daughter and telling "Say, I do."

"I... don't," Evie said finally.

Everyone gasped in shock. Evil Queen's gasp was the loudest.

"What madness is this, Evie?" Evil Queen asked. "You're supposed to say, I do."

Evie just hangs her head and looks away from her mother. Just as Evil Queen was about to go to the altar herself to talk some sense into her daughter, something happened.

CRASH!

A horseless carriage breaks through the front doors at high speed and heads straight for the altar. Evie and Jay jump out of the way, but Judge Claude Frollo failed to react in time. The carriage ran through him and crashed. What happened to Judge Claude Frollo, you may ask? Let's just say he's _probably_ gonna be spending the rest of his senior years in a hospital.

Swinging in through the doorway, via grapple arrow, are Carlos De Vil and CJ Hook. CJ quickly lets go of Carlos and even pushes him away, disgusted and embarrassed that she had to hold on to him for that dramatic entrance.

"I object!" Carlos shouted.

"Uh, Judge Frollo didn't exactly get to the speak-now-or-forever-hold-your-peace part," said Sammy Smee.

"Oh," Carlos and CJ said at the same time.

"Seize them!" Jafar ordered.

Before the villains can make a move, Mal poofs into the center of the cathedral. She teleported a few feet up in the air so she can make a stylish landing, just for the sake of a cooler entrance.

"Give us time to speak and sow, please separate friend from foe," Mal cited.

Mal casts her spell and separates the villains from everyone else with two magical barriers. Neither Jafar's scepter, Hook's hook, nor Ursula's trident could break through.

"That's a wrap, now take a nap," Mal finished.

The magic within the barriers caused everyone trapped inside to fall asleep. Temporarily, to be specific. Mal did not want to kill anyone, especially after what happened to the Isle. Of course, Evie and Jay were not of the audience so they were among the only ones still awake. Had Judge Claude Frollo not been run over by a carriage, he would be awake as well.

"A runaway carriage, really?" Mal questioned her two allies.

"Her idea," Carlos said, pointing at the blonde pirate.

"You wanted us to _crash_ the wedding, right?" CJ said.

"What are you doing here?" Jay asked the intruders.

"I thought I'd come here to tell you that forgot to send me my invite," Mal joked.

"We didn't invite you," said Jay.

"Yeah, and that was a big, big mistake," said Mal. "That's why I decided to crash your wedding."

"Why?" asked Jay.

"'Cause let's face it. You and Evie aren't meant to be together," said Mal. "I heard what you said, E. You said, I don't."

Jay looks at Evie, remembering the embarrassing moment she started earlier.

"What the heck is going on?" Jay asked, feeling very confused.

"Tell him, Evie," said Mal.

"Jay," Evie started. "I... I don't love you."

"But... but you said yes when I proposed," said Jay.

"I did, but now I realize that was a mistake," said Evie.

"And what about you, Jay?" asked Mal. "Did that picture of Lonnie remind you of anything?"

"Wait, that was you?" Jay questioned, remembering the picture of Lonnie that popped out of nowhere.

"Did you remember anything?" Mal asked, demanding an answer.

"If you're trying to mess with my head, forget about it," said Jay, refusing to share what he remembers.

"Just tell me," Mal insisted.

Instead of speaking, Jay reaches for the sword of the nearest knight statue, only for Mal to immediately put him to sleep with a wave of her hand.

"He'll be out for a little while," said Mal. "Or until he's ready to listen."

"Why do you keep butting into my marriage, Mal?" Evie asked. "I wanna believe you forced me to say, I don't, but..."

"You listened to your heart," Carlos guessed.

Evie looked at the white-haired archer with a shocked look on her face. How did he know what she was gonna say? It's like he read her mind.

"Because what you're looking for," Carlos continued.

"Has been right in front of you," Evie continued for him.

"The whole time," Evie and Carlos said in unison.

"Creepy," CJ commented.

"But beautiful," Mal added.

Carlos slowly walks closer to Evie and holds her hand. She then holds his other hand. They slowly leaned in towards each other until their lips met. As they kissed, a bunch of images flashed in the mind of the blue-haired princess. Her lips stayed on his as she saw everything coming back to her in an instant.

Meeting Carlos at Dragon Hall.

Carlos' tree house laboratory.

Her, Carlos, Mal, and Jay going to Auradon Prep.

Shining her Magic Mirror's light at Maleficent, who is in dragon form.

Dating Doug.

Dating Ben.

Her and Mal visiting Dizzy.

Her and Carlos dancing in Auradon Prep's hallway.

Punching Mal for her post-death betrayal.

Her rap battle versus Mal.

Carlos singing a song to her as she chased him.

Plus more.

Evie pulled away as soon as the memories overwhelmed her. Her eyes opened and lingered on Carlos'. The white-haired archer stared at her, scared if he made the wrong move. Seeing the worry on his face, Evie puts her arms around him and smiles. The next words that came out of her mouth are...

"Boy, I make you shy, shy, shy. I make you run and hide, hide."

Those words were lyrics to the song he sang to her, only reversed (such as from "girl" to "boy" or from "you" to "I"). Carlos smiled as Evie pulled him closer to an embrace. Carlos returned the favor and put his arms around her. Evie cries a tear of joy as she holds him tight. Just a few seconds ago, she knew she cared about him, but she was uncertain just how much. But now, she remembers just how much he means to her, as well as how much she means to him.

Mal smiled, happy that Evie finally remembered everything. CJ, however, literally had her back turned as she did not want to see the kiss.

"Are they done?" CJ asked.

"They're hugging now," said Mal.

"Still not looking," said CJ.

"What's the matter, CJ? Jealous?" Carlos teased.

"Hey, I'm the one who does the teasing here," CJ said, finally facing Carlos.

"Wait, you and CJ were..." Evie had a guess.

"If it makes you feel better, sister, I didn't like it," said CJ.

"And what about you, Carlos?" Evie asked the archer. "Feeling's mutual with her?"

"Let's just say I prefer not to be proof she can love," said Carlos. "But I don't understand. How can you remember? Mal didn't do anything to you."

"Trust me. I was surprised myself," said Mal. "But a part of me has always wanted you two to be together. Maybe the Wishing Well twisted that wish into a cure for both of you."

"But, wait, I had to get my shoulders marked painfully to trigger my past live's memories," Carlos remembered. "Why is it her who need True Love's Kiss?"

Mal shrugged and said, "I didn't ask for a world ruled by villains, didn't I? Any change here is a surprise even to me. I don't control everything, even if I wanted to. Maybe the kiss worked because it fit with the new life she lived. Blinded from the definition of true love, and she needed the truth to be reminded. That's you, Snowball."

Evie placed her hand on Carlos' leather-covered shoulder, just imagining the M-shaped scar underneath. Her first reaction to it, she remembered all too well.

"I'm sure if we kissed way before now, you would've had your memories restored," said Evie.

"I'm sure Mal's love for torturing me would've prevented that," Carlos joked.

Mal rolled her eyes at that.

"I'm sorry," Evie said sincerely. "You know, for how I treated you."

"It wasn't real," said Carlos.

"But it felt real," Evie said sadly.

"I know," Carlos understood.

"It's all too much to take in," said Evie.

"You look beautiful," Carlos said, admiring how she looked in the wedding gown.

"Thank you," Evie smiled, flattered by the compliment.

They held hands and leaned forward, their foreheads brushed against one another in a very affectionate manner. Their first reunion was a mess, but this here... this is a true reunion.

"Hello!" CJ called. "Hate to ruin your moment, lovebirds, but are we gonna go now? Maleficent's gonna find out we're here some time soon."

"First things first," said Mal.

Mal walks into one of the barriers. She's immune to the sleeping spell, after all. She takes a little note out of her jacket and magically wraps it around one of the braids of Uma, who is also asleep due to the barrier. Mal smiled a confident smile as she hoped Uma had made her choice on whether or not to help her.

"Mal," CJ called.

"One more thing," said Mal.

Mal walks over towards another unconscious person. Dizzy. It's definitely weird seeing the 12-year-old hairdresser be around her age.

"Take a look at your future, Dizzy. It won't be this one, fortunately," Mal commented.

"Mal," CJ called impatiently.

Evie and Carlos were carrying the sleeping Jay as they too were eager to leave the cathedral. Mal joins her friends (CJ is a friend, right?) and prepares to snap her fingers to teleport them out of here.

"One question, M," said Evie. "What exactly were you gonna do to help me regain my memories?"

"A closet full of bear traps," Mal answered nonchalantly.

"What?!" Evie exclaimed.

Mal just snapped her fingers.

 **Now Evie remembers. YAY! But Jay still doesn't remember. Although, Mal is bringing him along. So, that's good. As for Judge Claude Frollo, all I can say is... ouch.**

 **So, what do you think of the way Evie's memories are restored?**


	21. Listen to Your Heart

**It's high time I finally got to this moment. I've kept Mal and Ben separated for most of this story, mostly because I didn't want Mal's story here to be mostly about romance. But now... enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: danifan3000, DragonEmperor999, CarvieCamfia2, Mustang52, xez2003**

In the hidden forest, Ben and his friends are planning ahead on finding a new place to move in the event the villains find out where they're hiding. True, Ben doesn't trust Mal and he doesn't like it that she led them to this place, but he's willing to stay here for as long as his people can. Ben and his friends are gathered around a large map that shows all of Auradon, looking for places they haven't thought to hide in.

"How about the shore on the far side of the Border Lands?" Chad suggested.

"We'll be out in the open," said Ben.

"Maybe the oasis in the north," Jane suggested.

"Too small," said Audrey.

"One of the uncharted islands?" Jordan suggested.

"Too risky," said Scarlet.

"We're running out of spots to look," said Chad. "I don't wanna give up, but..."

"I know it looks hopeless, Chad, and it's hard not to feel hopeless. But we can't stay here," said Ben.

"Oh, what would Lonnie say if she were here?" Ally asked sadly.

"She would say that our best bet is scouting unexplored areas ourselves," said Ben.

"That's even riskier than the islands," said Scarlet. "But it could help."

"Okay, we'll send one team to each location we mark," Ben suggested. "Small teams. We can't afford to lose more than we already did."

"Guys!"

CJ came running in, cutting the discussion short.

"Carlos escaped," said CJ.

"You were supposed to keep an eye on him," said Ben.

"I was, but he got the slip on me," said CJ. "C'mon! He's somewhere deep in the woods. Help me for Pete's sake."

"All of you go. Carlos must not leave this forest," Ben ordered.

Audrey, Chad, Jane, Jordan, Ally, and Scarlet followed CJ deeper into the forest to look for Carlos. She suggested they split up to cover more ground. Ally stayed with Jordan while Scarlet accompanied CJ. The rest searched for Carlos on their own. Little did they know that something (or someone) surprising was waiting for them.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Audrey kept her sword up in case of an attack. You never what could be skulking through these woods. True, they've been living here a while, but they haven't ventured anywhere close to the barrier's perimeter. She heard something coming through the bushes. Fortunately (or unfortunately), it's just the purple-haired sorceress who led her to this place.

"I see you trusted me after all," said Mal.

"I... I didn't want to, but..." Audrey paused.

"Something inside told you that trusting me was the right thing to do," Mal guessed. "Now, why is that?"

"You tell me," said Audrey.

Instead of explaining the feeling, Mal changed the subject.

"You haven't put down the sword because of who I'm related to," said Mal. "My mother killed your parents and you blame me for that."

"I mean... I shouldn't, but... it's hard not to," said Audrey.

"Water under the bridge?" Mal asked casually.

"Totes?" Audrey replied nervously.

"Totes!" Mal responded happily.

Upon hearing and saying the word "totes," Audrey started to feel a massive headache. That headache is followed by millions of images flashing in her mind, as if something was trying to pierce her brain. It was very painful.

Her and Mal meeting for the first time.

Her being angry at Mal about the Jewel-bilee disaster.

Dating Chad, breaking up with him, and then dating him again.

By the time Audrey opened her eyes, Mal was already gone. But Audrey remembers now. She trusted Mal because there was something deep down inside her that came from the trust she had in her in the old world. Remembering the old world, Audrey begins to panic.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Chad could hear laughter in the shadows. It spooked him, but he tried to keep his knees from shaking as he remained alert. Someone poked him in the back, causing him to step back and turn around with his sword raised high. Whether it was a good thing or bad thing, Mal is there.

"Stay back, witch," said Chad.

"Relax, Chad. I just came here to give you a hug," said Mal.

"I said stay back," Chad repeated.

"I was hoping we could do this peacefully, but I guess I have to use a little magic," said Mal.

Mal sets Chad's sword on fire, including the handle, causing him to drop it. After that, Mal gave Chad a crushing hug. As she slowly crushes his lungs, his mind starts to overwhelm him with images of a different life.

Lashing out on the VKs at Family Day.

Trying to prevent Lonnie from being part of the R.O.A.R. team.

Getting back together with Audrey.

Just like with Audrey, Mal disappeared as soon as Chad opened his eyes. As confused as he was about why she hugged him, the new world's horrors came back to mind. And Audrey.

"Audrey, I'm coming," he said as he ran to where he last saw her.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Jane regrets going off alone, but she wanted to prove to herself that she can be brave. It's been a peaceful search so far, with the exception of evil-sounding laughter in the bushes. But so far, she's not panicking. Well, until someone decided to give her a scare.

"Hi, there!'

"Whoa!" Jane screamed.

It was Mal.

"You scared me," said Jane.

"I meant to," Mal said playfully. "Now, hold still. I don't want you to mess this up." Waving her finger, she chants, "Beware for swear, replace the old with new hair."

Just like the first time, Mal changes Jane's hair from short and plain to longer and beautiful. And with a simple mirror to see her new hair, Jane remembers something. She remembers the first time Mal did it to her. Of course, since this is Jane of the new world, she doesn't remember this.

"Have we met before?" Jane wondered.

"That didn't work?" Mal asked. "Too bad. I thought it would. Well, I guess there's one more thing I can try."

"I'm not sure..."

Mal took one step closer and unleashed her wicked stare - glowing green eyes and all - as well as a growl. Jane stepped back in fear, only for the bright green eyes to inject not just fright into her heart but also images into her mind.

The first time Mal glared at her with that stare.

The fiasco at the Coronation, especially her grabbing her mother's wand.

Carlos asking her out to Cotillion.

Mal vanished as soon as Jane came to. Remembering both the old and new world, she dropped to her knees. All these horrors she experience, yet she never really did. What's real and what's not, she couldn't tell due to having two sets of memories in her brain.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Ally stayed behind Jordan as they slowly walked over logs and fallen branches. Jordan keeps a tight grip on her lamp as she prepares for danger. Ally has only a light sword for protection (no one trusts her with a heavier, sharper one). Ally holding a sword. Weird sight, isn't it?

"Relax, Ally. Think of this as practice. It's your first fight since that stupid goblin three years ago," said Jordan.

"Not exactly comforting, but we are at war," Ally said nervously.

"All these years of war, and you're still a shaking puppy?" Jordan questioned.

"Well, no one asked me to be on the battlefield, so..." Ally said.

Ally and Jordan stopped when they found something on the ground. It was a music player with a set of headphones. Ally picks it up and turns on the music player. There was only one song on it. "Good Is The New Bad." She places the headphones next to her ear and prepares to play the song.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" asked Jordan.

Too late. Ally pressed the "play" button. As she listened to the song, she felt something ringing in her head. It wasn't the song, rather it was something else. Closing her eyes as her headache got worse, she started seeing things.

Meeting Freddie... and her shrunken head.

Singing "Good Is The New Bad" on stage with Mal, Evie, Audrey, Lonnie, and Freddie.

The Jewel-bilee.

"Ally?" Jordan called as she grabbed her friend's shoulder.

"I think I just jumped into the deepest rabbit hole ever," Ally mumbled.

"What are you talking about?" asked Jordan.

All of a sudden, Jordan gets sucked into her own lamp. And then someone poofed into her lamp. It was Mal. She just made herself at home and sat down on a very comfy bean bag while chewing on a strawberry. It was silence for the first few seconds. Mal just munched on her favorite fruit while Jordan looked left and right for no reason.

"The fruits in this forest are divine," said Mal. "That's why I picked it for you."

"What are you doing here and what are you doing here in my lamp?" Jordan asked.

"Right, you have a dress code," Mal said sarcastically. "Fine. I'll change."

Mal changes into the Arabian-type outfit that Old World Jordan made for her when she visits the genie's lamp. She's not a fan of the chiffon, but it's according to the dress code. Once Jordan saw the outfit, it triggered something in her mind.

Mal and her friends poofing in during her livestream.

Her giving Mal and her friends (minus Ben) clothes according to her lamp's dress code.

The Neon Lights Ball.

By the time Jordan opened her eyes, all she saw was purple smoke fading away. That meant Mal just left. She'd be panicking now due to the horrors of the new world and remembering the old world, but all she could think of now is... how did Mal get into her lamp?

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

CJ leads Scarlet to a spot close to the barrier's perimeter. Scarlet kept her bow and arrow raised so she can release the string when she sees danger. CJ did the same with her sword, holding it to prepare to take the first swing at the sight of danger. What they found through a wall of leaves is...

Carlos. Just sitting next to a boulder.

"Hey, sis," Carlos greeted casually.

"You're... still here?" Scarlet asked.

"Um, yeah. I only escaped, like, five minutes ago," said Carlos. "Not enough to escape... not that I need to."

"Why?" asked Scarlet.

A hand suddenly touches the back of Scarlet's head. Magic flows into her until she faints, falling asleep. That was Mal, of course.

"Too bad I never met Scarlet. I don't have anything that can restore her memories," said Mal. "Why did her parents name her Scarlet anyway? Sounds like something they would do for a friend who sacrificed himself to save them."

"Mom... Maid Marian... told me that Will Scarlet saved her and Robin Hood when they were attacked by Sheriff Nottingham's men at the Lone Keep. Marian was just about to give birth that day. Will sacrificed himself to get her and Robin out of the keep," Carlos said. "Then she was born and her parents named her after Will to honor his memory. But three days later, he showed up alive. He escaped Nottingham's men. With a few scratches, I might add."

"That's... sweet, I guess," Mal reacted.

"Okay, Puppy Lover and I will hide Scarlet so no one finds her. But what about Benny?" asked CJ.

"Well, after you lured everyone away from him, I managed to lure him to a certain spot where he and I can be alone," said Mal.

* * *

Carlos and CJ take the sleeping Scarlet to a spot in the woods where the others are. Audrey, Chad, Jane, Ally, and Jordan. Carlos and CJ carefully put Scarlet down in a sitting position and makes sure her head rests on the tree bark. The others were silent, which is weird. But it was obvious why. To remember the old but to retain the memories of their new lives in this nightmarish world, it's too much.

Guess who else is there? Evie and Jay. Jay, however, was still asleep due to Mal's magic.

"You guys feeling okay?" Evie asked.

"Trying to be," said Audrey. "I mean... it just... it all feels so..."

"Like the life we lived here is the real one instead of the _real_ real one?" Carlos guessed.

"All the deaths I've seen, all the carnage... I can't forget it," said Jane.

"At least we're finally together," said Carlos.

"Now we know why you trusted Mal. She helped you remember the old world," Chad said to the white-haired archer. "Well, now we believe you 100%."

"But why would Mal wish for a world filled with our worst nightmares?" Ally wondered.

"It was random, not chosen. That's as far as we can tell," said Carlos.

"Are those two gonna be okay?" Jordan asked, gesturing to their slumbering slumbering allies.

"Mal put them to sleep," said Evie.

"There was no way to wake Scarlet up, to _really_ wake her up," said CJ.

"One question. Why is _she_ here with us?" Chad asked, pointing at the blonde pirate.

"You got something to say, Prince Charming?" CJ snarled.

"You tried to kill us," Chad said hatefully.

"Many times," Audrey added.

"I still see the Sea of Storms in my nightmares," said Jane.

"Guys, guys, stop it," Evie interrupted. "CJ is here to help us."

"Like heck she is," Chad snapped.

"I don't want to believe it either," said Evie. "But..."

"I can talk for myself, Princess," said CJ. "Look, I know you all have no reason to trust me. I don't have any reason to believe any of you will. I am and still a villain. I won't deny that I tried to make you all walk the plank and into a swirly pool of despair. But my priority here is my brother. I lo... lo..."

"Love him," Evie finished.

CJ sighs in shame and says, "Yeah, whatever. I remember everything about the old world, which means that I remember the last thing I did before we ended up here."

"Dying?" Audrey asked.

"Getting my brother back," CJ corrected. She growled at the princess as well.

"But after that, what then?" asked Evie. "Are you two gonna go back to being our enemies, or are you gonna forge a new life?"

"We'll walk that burning plank when we get there," said CJ. "Right now, like it or not, we're allies."

"If you were really my girlfriend, I'd kiss you right now," Carlos joked.

"Oh, so _now_ you wanna make fun of this?" CJ questioned.

"Wait, you two were... what?! Ew!" Chad said in disgust.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the other side of the forest, Ben follows this strange sound he heard. Laughter in the shadows. Female, sounds evil, and it sends chills down his spine. That's why he's holding his sword with two hands right now. One thing his father taught him is to always be alert whenever an enemy is nearby. Never let your guard down and keep a tight grip on your sword's handle, he said.

Then he heard the laughter again.

"Mal?" Ben guessed. "If that's you, show yourself! I'm not afraid."

Poofing in and laughing still is Mal herself. Her laughter lasted for quite a while until she finally stopped with a sigh of delight.

"Oh, the look on your face," said Mal. "Spooked by a girl's laughter. Priceless."

For some reason, Ben just growls like a beast and charges at her. He swings his sword at her, but she dodges it. He keeps swinging at her and she keeps avoiding his blade. She grabs his blade with her hand and squeezes, breaking it in half. Then she kicks Ben in the stomach so he can fall down on his rear, giving her time to speak.

"Whoa, aren't you mad?" Mal said.

"Mad? Mad?! That's all you have to say to me?!" Ben said angrily.

Ben grabs what's left of his sword and keeps swinging at her. Mal dodges his swings before firing a small magic blast at his chest in the form of a palm strike, knocking him down again.

"I saved your people. Why are you attacking me?" Mal asked.

"Saved us? You think you saved us?! Lonnie is dead, along with hundreds more of my people!" Ben shouted.

"I'm sorry," Mal apologized.

Ben angrily throws the broken sword at Mal. She just tilts her head to the left as the sword flies by and sticks itself to a tree.

"You don't get to talk to me like that," said Ben. "Lonnie was not just my ally. She was my friend. She was family, one of the few I still have left."

"And you blame me for her death?" Mal accused.

"None of this would've happened if you hadn't gotten involved with us," said Ben. "Maybe you're not your mother's pawn, but your meddling cost us too much."

"Nothing I do is ever good enough for you, is it?" Mal asked.

"I have to admit, I was willing to give you benefit of the doubt after you saved me from Gaston," said Ben. "But after all we've lost that day, how can you expect me to just change my mind?"

"All this judgmental behavior, all because I'm my mother's daughter," Mal assumed.

"I know where I come from. I know where you come from. I know what I stand for, but I don't know what you stand for," said Ben. "But nothing good ever comes out of whatever you have planned. You corrupted Carlos, risked our lives, and tried to manipulate us into trusting you. You are nothing if not worse than your mother."

"You are so different from the man I knew. He would never judge anyone just because of where they come from," Mal said.

"I don't know you, and you don't know me," said Ben.

"You're wrong. I do," said Mal.

"How could you possibly?" Ben asked.

"I gave you your father's ring. Surely, that reminded you of something," said Mal.

"You mean the witchery you planted in my head?" Ben accused. "I don't know what you're playing at and I don't care. All I care about is..."

"The safety of your people, I know," Mal interrupted. "But if you won't accept me, then you doom everything good in this world."

Ben walks away from Mal, but she just poofs right in front of him, blocking his path. She would follow whatever direction he attempts to take, making sure he can't go back and warn his people.

"I'd ask you to get out of my way, but we both know you won't," said Ben.

"Did our talk at the Enchanted Lake mean nothing to you?" asked Mal. "I don't need to see into your mind to know what you saw. You saw me die, didn't you? You knew how you felt that day. That memory alone should have been enough."

"A memory? Memory of what?" Ben asked through his gritted teeth.

"A memory of a better life," said Mal. "A life where you and me, we were... we meant the world to each other."

"We mean nothing to each other," Ben growled.

"You know, Ben. I am so sick of your accusations and assumptions. I can't blame you for that, but I do blame you for not giving me the chance to prove myself," said Mal.

"Why do you insist on doing this to me?" Ben asked as his voice cracked. "I lost my parents, a lot of innocent people... Lonnie. Why must you attempt to console me? Why persist?"

Mal takes off her glove and says, "Because you and I are destined to be one."

Ben saw an engagement ring on Mal's finger. This sight triggered a couple more "memories" in his mind. The first is of him proposing to Mal. The second is of her proposing to him in a cave. His belief that this is all witchery is slowly starting to disappear.

"Listen to your heart, Ben. You know that all I'm saying is true," said Mal.

Hearing Mal say "listen to your heart" triggered yet another memory. Coronation Day. Ben tells Mal that his heart is telling him that there is good in her. Mal tells everyone that she wants to be good.

"Enough. Enough!" Ben shouted. "No more! I will not succumb to your witchery. You have made all of us suffer all for some twisted game and I will no longer participate in it. Just leave me and my people alone."

Ben walks away again. This time, Mal doesn't stop him by poofing in front of him. The anger and grief shown in his face and voice, she couldn't blame him for losing faith in her. Still, that doesn't change what needs to happen. Instead of poofing, she sings a song to him, starting off softly.

 **Mal**

 _Did I mention_  
 _I'm in love with you_  
 _Did I mention_  
 _There's nothin' I can do_  
 _Did I happen to say_  
 _I dream of you every day  
But let me shout it out loud if that's okay  
_ _If that's okay_

Ben stops walking as he listens to these lyrics. He couldn't help but remember them. But how? As Mal's voice got louder with each line, he abandoned almost all thought of just walking away. He just stood there, but his back remained turned. While his doubt remained, his heart was screaming at him to stay and listen. It's like some force is pulling him towards her. And he's fighting it. And he's losing.

 **Mal**

 _I met this boy that rocked my world  
Like it's never been rocked  
And now I'm livin' just for him  
And I won't ever stop  
I never thought that it could happen to a girl like me_  
 _But now look at what you've done_  
 _You've got me down on my knees_

 _Because my love for you is ridiculous  
I never knew  
That it could be like this  
My love for you is ridiculous  
My love is R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S_

 _It's ridiculous  
Just ridiculous  
And I would give my kingdom for just one kiss_

Ben feels himself wanting to turn around and look at her. He fights the urge to, but he's losing. This song, it definitely sounded familiar. His brain was starting to ache, but in a good way. That's because his entire body was responding to the message being given to him by his own heart.

 **Mal**

 _Did I mention_  
 _I'm in love with you_  
 _Did I mention_  
 _There's nothin' I can do_  
 _Did I happen to say_  
 _I dream of you every day  
But let me shout it out loud if that's okay  
_ _If that's okay_

 _I gotta know which way to go  
C'mon, give me a sign  
You gotta show me that you're only ever gonna be mine  
Don't wanna go another minute livin' without you  
'Cause if your just isn't in it, I don't know what I'd do_

 _'Cause my love for you is ridiculous  
I never knew  
That it could be like this  
My love for you is ridiculous  
My love is R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S_

 _It's ridiculous  
Just ridiculous  
And I would give my kingdom for just one kiss  
C'mon now!_

Mal slowly walks closer towards Ben. It was there when he finally decided to turn around and look at her. She takes his hand into hers and makes sure a finger of his touches both the engagement ring. She, in turn, touches the golden signet ring on his finger. As Ben stared into her emerald green eyes and strawberry red smile, more and more images of the past overcame his mind. He closed his eyes as he saw all of them.

Meeting Mal on her first day at Auradon Prep.

Singing "Did I Mention" to her after a Tourney game.

Their first date.

Their first kiss.

Set It Off!

Dressing up like a VK to sneak into the Isle of the Lost.

All the splashing and dancing at the Royal Cotillion.

Mal's death and resurrection.

Their first "special" night together.

Their final kiss before the Wishing Well's magic changed the world.

And so much more. Everything. All the memories of his old life in the old world. It's all coming back to him, including his true feelings for Mal. As he opened his eyes and gazed upon hers once again, he smiled. He finally smiled at her. After all this time, after all the attempts to convince him, he finally smiles at her. Mal's smile grew wider. She can see it. He remembers.

 **Mal & Ben**

 _Because my love for you is ridiculous_  
 _I never knew_  
 _That it could be like this_  
 _My love for you is ridiculous_

 **Mal**

 _My love is R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S_

 **Ben**

 _R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S_

 **Mal**

 _It's_

 **Ben**

 _Ridiculous!_

 **Mal**

 _Just_

 **Ben**

 _Ridiculous!_

 **Mal**

 _And I would give my kingdom for just one kiss_

 **Mal & Ben**

 _C'mon now!_

After taking a few deep breaths due to all the singing, Mal and Ben quickly lean in for their first kiss in forever. Mal puts her hands on Ben's cheeks and pulls him even closer, deepening the kiss as she has missed this. Her lips on his. Their touch upon each other's skin. The feeling that his presence gives her. Two months in this nightmare of a world and this moment right here is all she ever wanted. Not domination. Not her mother's death. But to win back Ben's love. Her desire to pay her penance has blinded her from love, but not anymore.

From the bushes, their friends watched. To see them finally reunited after so many horrors and struggles, it was a lovely sight. They made sure to keep their distance as the two lovers slowly ended the kiss to look at one another with love in both their eyes.

"Did I mention that I love you?" Ben asked.

"Did I mention that I love you?" Mal replied.

All of a sudden, Mal started glowing. The glow was of the color of gold. It came from her eyes and hands. It came from her mouth as well, as seen when she opened it. The glow grew bigger and bigger. Both Mal and Ben stepped away from each other as the golden glow. Their friends braced themselves just in case, but they kept their eyes on Mal.

"What is happening?" Ben asked.

Suddenly, a burst of light occurred. It shined the entire area, forcing Ben and their friends in the bushes to shield their eyes. Mal was suspended in the air as she felt foreign magic run through her veins. The glow soon died and Mal fell to the ground. She stood on her knees and remained that way for a while. Ben quickly ran towards her in case she needed help.

"Are you okay?" Ben asked.

"I think I am," Mal said.

Ben helps Mal back on her feet. He holds her gently but also with so much care. It made Mal really happy that he could hold her like this instead of trying to stab her with a sword.

"What happened?" Ben asked.

"This magic, I've felt it before," said Mal.

"What magic?" asked Ben.

"The magic of the Wishing Well," Mal answered.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Bayou De Orleans, Freddie Facilier has just returned to her father's voodoo shop after attending a funeral. Well, the voodoo shop now belongs to her, all because the funeral was for her father. There was no body to recover, unfortunately. The villains buried an empty coffin with Dr. Facilier's name on it. Not even a villain or a villain kid could blame Freddie for shedding a tear at the funeral. Her father meant a lot to her, as she meant a lot to him. He treated her well, taught her everything she knew. One can even say she loved her father, even if love is not for villains.

"I swear, Mal, if I ever find you again, you're gonna pay," Freddie said vengefully.

When Freddie returned to her bedroom (the voodoo shop is also a house, by the way), she found something odd. A buffet. A large one. There's cranberry sauce, a chocolate fountain, fruit shaped like animals, and even more.

"What the hell is all this?" Freddie wondered. "I swear, if this is pity food, I am gonna..."

Freddie stopped when she found a note. It said, "My condolences. From Mal." Angered, Freddie burned the note in her hand with magical fire. The smell of the puffed deliciousness of the buffet was tempting her to take a bite, but she knew better than to accept food from the enemy, especially Mal. There was the one time she poisoned Evie's apple. It didn't kill her, but it did make her act like a ditsy klutz for six hours.

But she couldn't resist.

"Fine," she said.

Freddie grabs one cupcake and takes a bite out of it. As she chewed and swallowed, she started to feel something strange. It's not indigestion. It's not the feeling of falling asleep. It's a headache, followed by strange images in her head.

Seeing Mal, Evie, Ben, and Audrey in her father's shop.

Bumping into Lonnie on her first buffet, which started a rivalry between them.

CJ risking her life to save her.

"CJ! Wait... Mal... what am I... dad?" Freddie was overwhelmed by the memory restoration. "Wait, if this is... it's not... real... if so then... Lonnie... oh, no. Lonnie. I have... I have to get out of here. Gotta find Mal."

 **More and more are finally remembering, including Freddie. Jay, however, he's gonna have to wait until probably the next chapter.**

 **But I want to talk about Mal and Ben. I've been trying to build up to this moment since I started this story, and I hope that it was worth the wait. I didn't want True Love's Kiss to be the trigger. I wanted something just as special. All I ask is... What do you think? Leave a review and please let me know what you think of Mal and Ben's moment.**


	22. The Cost

**This is basically filler, but I needed to show everyone's feelings post-memory restoration. Also, Mal and Ben need another moment together. Expect to see more Mal/Ben as the finale approaches. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, MaliceMalAmyMalevFaery, Anonymousnette, danifan3000, CarvieCamfia2, Mustang52**

 ** _To MaliceMalAmyMalevFaery_: In that case, prepare yourself.**

 ** _To Mustang52_: Well, I was never the sexual type of romance writer. But hey, keep your fingers crossed.**

Jay feels someone tapping his cheek. He wakes up after a who-knows-how-long "nap" and the first thing he sees is... Mal. The daughter of Maleficent continues to smack his cheek lightly just to make sure he's awake. She lifted the sleeping spell on him, but he remained asleep for some reason. She had to go to old-fashioned waking-someone-up techniques. When Jay looked like he wanted to sleep again, Mal decided to turn it up a bit. She slaps him right across the face. Hard.

"Ow!" Jay cried.

"Wake up, Bean Bag. Nap time's over," said Mal.

"Mal? What the..." Jay was confused. "Evie?"

"Hi," Evie greeted casually.

"You're with them now?" Jay accused, seeing as Evie is neither hurt nor in chains.

"Just listen to Mal," said Evie.

"What did you do to my bride, Mal?!" Jay asked angrily.

"I set her free," Mal answered. "And now I'm gonna do the same to you."

Jay quickly runs to a safe distance from Mal. Unfortunately, Mal can teleport. She poofs up behind him and grabs him in a choke hold, knowing that the Jay of this world won't give out without a fight. Jay is physically stronger than Mal, but Mal's magic has physiological effects on her body, allowing her to hold Jay with ease.

"Think about it, Jay. If I wasn't who I claim to be, I'd rip your head off and feed it to my dragon of a mother," said Mal.

"Okay, now I'm having a day-mare," Jay responded.

"Well, picking one way to free your mind was not easy, but I think I found the best one," said Mal. "Evie, Carlos, hold him."

Mal poofs away. Immediately, Evie and Carlos grab Jay's arms to restrain him. Mal poofs back with a playing stick and a ball. Those who remember the old world know what it is. Tourney. It doesn't exist in the new world (at least, not anymore after the villains' rule). Mal starts charging the ball with some of her magic, causing it to glow a scary purple.

"So, what? You're just gonna hit me for the fun of it?" Jay questioned.

"Sadistic, I know. But hey, it's me," Mal said proudly.

"It's scary that you just accept that part of you," said Evie.

"Wouldn't expect anyone who embraces sadism to be so..." Carlos paused.

"Good?" Mal guessed. "You two still have a lot to learn about me."

Mal tosses the magically-charged ball in the air and then swings the stick at it as it descends, hitting the ball like a baseball. It flies towards Jay at double the speed of a baseball's average speed after it's hit. Jay gets hit in the face and he gets knocked out again. As he sleeps, he starts seeing things in his mind. Vivid images of him in a new life. While he was indeed dreaming at the moment, what he's seeing is no dream at all.

Limo ride with Mal, Evie, and Carlos to Auradon Prep.

Flirting with Audrey.

Flirting with Lonnie to test the love potion cookies.

Sword fight versus Harry on The Lost Revenge.

Dancing with Lonnie at Cotillion.

Stealing King Triton's trident.

And way more.

Two minutes later, Jay wakes up again with a face-ache. He holds his mildly bruised nose as his vision slowly clears. He sees Mal, Evie, and Carlos looking down at him. When they saw him open his eyes, they immediately help him up.

"Lonnie," Jay mumbled. "Lonnie... LONNIE! Lonnie! Where's..."

Evie quickly hugs him, which is also a restraining method. To comfort him and to keep him from going crazy. Carlos squeezes his shoulder gently as he hangs his head in grief.

"I'm sorry, Jay," Evie said sadly.

"She would've wanted you to remember," Carlos said calmly.

"Lonnie... no," Jay cried. "I could have... I could have... she would've..."

"You didn't remember, so you don't have to blame yourself," said Mal. "If anything, blame me."

"So, all this..." Jay said, looking at the dark skies above. "It's the Wishing Well, isn't it?"

"Speaking of that, you two stay here with Jay. I gotta go talk with Ben," said Mal.

"Mal, wait," Evie called. "There's something I wanted to talk to you about."

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

While Carlos takes Jay to Lonnie's grave, Mal and Evie have a private girl talk together. Evie makes sure to wait until the boys are out of hearing range before starting the talk. She looks a little concerned, Mal noticed. But she had a good idea what this could be about.

"Back at the wedding, you said you always wanted me and Carlos to be together," Evie remembered. "Does that mean... you knew?"

"Since your first day at Dragon Hall," Mal smirked.

"But you never told either of us?" asked Evie.

"Believe me, I wanted nothing more than to tell you two smart idiots that you're meant for each other. But it wasn't my secret to tell," said Mal.

"Then why did you pursue him if you knew?" Evie asked.

"Because you're both smart idiots, that's why," Mal insulted playfully. She then gives a serious answer. "But I guess I just didn't care. If you two weren't gonna steel yourselves and go for the kill, I took my opportunity. You understand how deep my feelings are for him, don't you?"

"How can I forget? It's one of the most shocking things I've ever seen and heard in my life," Evie replied.

"But now you don't have to worry. You two are finally together, just like I always wanted," said Mal.

"Well, we haven't made it official, but... I guess," said Evie. "Looks like your favorite ship is finally canon."

The two girls laughed together. What's not to laugh about? Mal is the only one who has been shipping Evie and Carlos and she has for a long time, which is like shipping two fictional characters in movies and TV shows.

"But, Mal, please, don't tell anyone about us. We don't even know how far we're planning on going yet," Evie pleaded.

"Hey, you know you can trust me. I won't tell a soul that the SS Carvie has sailed," Mal said jokingly.

Evie laughed in response, amused by the ship name.

"Since when are you a master at shipping names?" Evie asked.

"You think School of Secrets coined the term Marlos?" Mal replied. "I can keep your secret, but I can't say the same for CJ."

"Out of all people to know," Evie facepalmed. "But thanks, M. I owe you too much."

The two best friends hug. To be separated for so long (one had her memories altered, after all) was not a good feeling. But to finally be back in each other's company in even better terms made everything just a little bit better.

* * *

Evie meets up with Jay and Carlos at Lonnie's grave, which was thankfully in a spot where none of the remaining resistance members can see them. Audrey, Chad, Jane, Ally, Jordan, and CJ were there as well, along with the still unconscious Scarlet. If they woke her up, she'll warn the rest of the resistance that the enemy has infiltrated the barrier.

Jay removed his beanie with respect as he placed a lotus next to her gravestone. He shed tears. The real Jay would either deny he's shedding tears or just say they're man tears. But his grief took over his pride. He kept wiping the tears, but everyone could still see them.

"She died trying to help you remember," Evie said in a comforting tone.

"Was it worth it? I had doubts, but I didn't listen," Jay said bitterly. "Mal had to kidnap me."

"Trust me. It was better you didn't see how she restored my memories," said Evie. "But more importantly, if you want to honor Lonnie, then you have to keep fighting."

"That's what she would want for all of us," said Jay. "A fighter 'til the end."

"Died getting vengeance on her parents' killer. Even if this world isn't real, the pain and loss certainly are," Carlos said sadly.

"Why can't we just forget about it?" Jay whined.

"No one knows. Not even Mal," said Evie.

"Random chances. Random occurrences. That's pretty much the best explanation," said Jordan.

"Why couldn't I remember then?" Jay asked sadly. "Lonnie died right in front of me. Why wasn't it enough? I felt something when I saw her die, but I still tried to deny it."

"It's Mal. She has to be the one to trigger our past memories herself," Evie explained.

"She scarred me again," said Carlos.

"She scared me again," said Jane.

"She tried to feed me to baby crocodiles," said CJ.

"I'm sorry, are you supposed to be here?" Jay questioned. "And if you are, why are you not chained to a tree?"

"'Cause I'm on Team Auradon now," said CJ. "Don't make me explain. I already gave one of those stupid goody-good speeches earlier."

"She wants her big bro back," Chad explained bluntly.

"I think it's sweet," said Ally. "Nothing brightens the heart more than the love you feel for your own flesh and blood."

CJ rolls her eyes and sighs, annoyed by the sweetness of that statement. She did smile a little (or was it a smirk?). Ally was, in a way, right. CJ doesn't know if she'll changer her ways once this is all over, but one thing she is certain of is that having Harry in her life will make her the best person she can be. _Best_ , being the key word, not _good_ or _bad_. That is yet to be determined.

"This is all so messed up," Jay complained.

"You're not blaming Mal, are you, Jay?" Evie asked.

"I want to, but... it's not her fault," said Jay. "Everything she's been doing the past month... I don't know. It's all too much right now."

"Dude, calm down," Carlos pleaded.

"Lonnie is dead, man!" Jay shouted. "How can I be okay with that?"

"We're not asking you to feel okay. We're asking you not to let this mess with your head," said Carlos. "We all miss her, Jay. We're all torn up about it."

"You're not the only one who she meant everything to," said Audrey.

"I know," said Jay. "I just wish I could've saved her. I mean, what did we do to deserve this?"

"You think this is hard only for you, Jay?" Jane questioned. "All of us, we're carrying two different sets of memories in our heads and we can't even tell what's real and what's not anymore. Lonnie is gone, and that's real, even if it's not what we want."

"Wow. Didn't expect to hear that from you, Jane," Chad said, impressed.

"Care to say something out of character, Chad?" Evie teased in a criticizing way.

"Uh... I'm glad Mal hugged me...?" Chad said awkwardly.

"Look, let's all just take a deep breath," Carlos pleaded. "Look, Jay, we're just as lost and frustrated as you are. To live this horrible life only to find out we lived a different but better life, it's hard for all of us."

"But we're still a team," said Evie. "And a team has to stick together, no matter what. Through thick and thin. Through mud and water. Through every sunset and every sunrise."

"You guys are making it harder for me to stay angry," said Jay. "What am I supposed to say?"

"That we're your family and that you're happy to have people who care about you," said Evie.

Carlos softly punches Jay on the shoulder and shoots a smile at him. Everyone else did the same (the smiling, not the punching). CJ, however, just turned her back on everyone.

"So, Audrey, how's it feel to date Ben again?" Jay joked.

"Shut up, Jay," Audrey said, embarrassed. "It wasn't real. Me from two years ago would wish it was, but that's not me anymore. He and Mal, they want, need, and deserve each other."

"Wow," Jordan responded. "Well, Chad, looks like you need to start growing up before Audrey outgrows you."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Enchanted Lake, Ben just stood on the remains of the stone pavilion and waited as he thought to himself. For seventeen years, he has been living in fear because the heroes lost the war against the villains. He had to watch his parents die. He had to watch so many of his people die. He had to lead them and he promised them that they would take back Auradon from the villains. Then Mal came into his life and opened his eyes. But what really bothers him is how much his new life is overwhelming him. As horrible as this new world is, he expected to feel different. He expected to feel like he's seeing a nightmare, not living in one.

"Did I ever mention you look cute when you're distraught?"

Ben smiled as he turned around and saw Mal. She took him back here so they can have yet another private conversation. This time, it'll be a lot more comfortable since he remembers everything now. Last time they were here, it got scary.

"I wouldn't say I'm distraught," said Ben. "Confused, more like it."

"About why this feels just as real as the real world?" Mal guessed.

"My parents... Lonnie... the grief feels too real for me to shake off even after I remember everything," Ben said gravely.

"This world may not be real, but what happened in it is," said Mal. "I'm sorry I had to put you through all that."

"You don't have to be sorry," said Ben. "You tried to save us."

"Honestly, I'm starting to think a kingdom ruled by Uma would be less worse," said Mal. "At least I could've saved all of you and her."

"You reached out to her?" Ben guessed.

"And she is probably still thinking about whether or not she wants to help me," said Mal.

"You know, you really risked a lot with what you tried to do," said Ben. "Manipulating us, moving us around like chessboard pieces..."

"It's contemptible, I know," said Mal. "But I was alone and I didn't know then that I could restore your memories. I had to try something. Leaving wasn't an option."

"The lands beyond Auradon," Ben muttered. "Very few have traveled there since the merging of the kingdoms."

"I suppose curiosity played a minor role in that consideration," said Mal. Hanging her head with sorrow, she says, "I really am sorry about Lonnie. And everyone else. I really did try my best."

"She wouldn't blame you," said Ben.

"She died just after I helped her remember, Ben," said Mal. "She died because I saved her."

"I hate to ask, but how did she feel about it?" Ben asked.

"She was relieved," Mal answered. "She no longer wanted to kill me. She was confused, just like all of you. But she was quick to just brush off those weird feelings. Ever the fighter, wasn't she?"

"She was," Ben agreed. "But you can't blame yourself."

"I'm not," said Mal. "Let's just say I took a long, hard look in the mirror and talked some sense into myself. Nowhere to go but forward, no matter what. I'll forever feel guilty and responsible, but I'm more than willing to carry that with me."

"Do you really think you can undo all this?" Ben asked.

"Positive," Mal answered. "But I'm always alert. Can't expect everything or anything to be easy. Just not how this world or any world works."

"Mal, why did you really bring me here?" Ben asked.

"Well, you're finally reading me better," Mal smiled. "Come. I wanna show you something."

Mal poofs up a little rowboat and asks Ben to join her. She tells him to paddle to the cave just on the other side. They slowly drifted in between the two small cliffs until they reached the cave. Mal and Ben walk into the cave. Mal lit up the cave with her magic since all the crystals inside were mined for currency and other means. Mal throws the purple glow on her finger towards a specific spot on the walls. The purple spark undoes the invisibility spell of something magically hung on the rocky wall.

It was a huge picture frame. A picture of a teenage girl who looks awfully like Mal. She wore a black dress and had horns growing out of her head. Her hair was a shiny yellow with purple tips, much like Mal's when she tried to fit in at Auradon Prep a long time ago.

"It's my mom," Mal revealed.

"Whoa," Ben reacted.

"Everyone's always said that I look like my mom," said Mal. "It wasn't until I saw this picture that I finally believed it."

"Are you worried you're becoming like her?" Ben asked.

"No," said Mal. "I am my mother's daughter, but not in the way that phrase made it sound. Remember when Fairy God Mother said that she is capable of feeling love?"

"That's why you felt like it's your responsibility to help her," said Ben.

"And I tried," said Mal. "She won't listen. She's too deep in the dark to be brought into the light. She would only accept me if I was the perfect nasty little girl she's always wanted."

"But you're not giving up, are you?" Ben asked.

"The last time she and I talked, I told her I wanted us to have a true second chance," said Mal. "Impossible as it may seem, there's nothing left to do except keep hoping."

"A part of me wants to say that Maleficent is irredeemable, incapable of change," said Ben. "But the part of me, the real me, wants to tell you to keep hoping until you finally get what you want between you and your mother."

"I kinda miss the old you already. He was fiercer and meaner," Mal teased.

"Hey, I can be bad if I want to," Ben smiled. "I'll graffiti your mother's entire castle if that's all it would take to prove it."

Mal holds Ben's hand and says, "I'm still wearing it."

"And you're certain you want it to end like this?" Ben asked.

"No," Mal answered quickly. "But it's not like your heart is telling you to pursue someone else."

"True," said Ben. "But if what you're saying is true..."

"I'd rather tell everyone at once," said Mal.

"So, why are we really here?" Ben asked.

Mal lightly slaps Ben's cheek before kissing him on the lips. She then holds her hand up high, making sure they can both see the engagement ring and the signet ring on Mal's fingers.

"I missed you," said Mal. "You have no idea how much."

"I'm never leaving your side again," said Ben.

"We'll see," Mal challenged.

The two chuckled together before leaning towards each other for another kiss. Mal held him close as they treasured the moment. No matter how smothered Ben felt, he didn't pull away.

* * *

Elsewhere, Eleanor is all alone once again by a cliff just staring at the skies. However, she wasn't thinking about her mother this time. No, she was thinking about what she saw earlier. She caught Ben wandering off deeper into the forest. She found him talking to Mal. They started singing that song Ben sang to Mal after a Tourney game. They kiss afterwards. And then Mal started glowing. It had Eleanor thinking of what it could mean.

"True Love's Kiss. It's gotta be linked somehow," Eleanor thought out loud. "But what could it mean?"

"Like an angel on my shoulder, you watch my every move."

Mal showed up, but it was not just her. All of her friends, those who remembers the old world, came as well. Carlos carries the still sleeping Scarlet and gently places her down in a sitting position against a stone wall.

"The Enchantress's daughter, huh?" Chad started. "Why hide it from us?"

"Don't provoke her," Audrey scolded.

"Just curious," said Chad. "I mean, this is huge."

"She has her reasons, Chad. Leave her alone," said Mal.

"Hey, you wanted to bring all of us here," Jordan reminded.

"So, what's this big news?" Evie asked. "Is it good news or bad news or a bit of both?"

"I think I'll just get straight to the point," said Mal.

Mal raises her hand and conjured a little ball of magic. It glowed in many different colors. Blue. Purple. Gold. The color gold is what really caught everyone's attention. It reminded them of the strange event that happened after Mal and Ben kissed. Mal just glowed like the sun was blessing her or something.

"True Love's Kiss may not be the trigger for Ben's memories, but it was a trigger for something," Mal started. "The Wishing Well."

"But the Wishing Well doesn't exist here," said Eleanor.

"Or so we thought," said Mal.

"Okay, just pause for a second. What is going on and how is this connected to the well?" Jay asked, confused.

"When I touched the waters of the Wishing Well, I absorbed its power just as it granted the wish," Mal continued. "Only, it lied dormant inside of me. I couldn't feel it because it needed to be activated."

"True Love's Kiss," Evie realized.

"Only by reconnecting with my one true love could the Wishing Well's magic within me be reawakened," said Mal.

"So, what does that mean?" asked Jane.

"Guys, we're going home," Mal said happily.

"Home? As in... home? As in our real home?" Audrey asked.

"I can undo all of this with just one wish," said Mal.

Everyone gasped with confusion and delight. It was all so confusing, but they could understand the simple meaning of this. Could Mal really return the world back to what it used to be? To when they could live in peace instead of war?

"Wait! So, you can bring Lonnie back?" Jay asked.

"And everyone else?" Carlos asked.

"That's kinda what I meant by _undo_ ," Mal said.

"Then do it," Jay said eagerly. "Get us out of this nightmare."

"I wish it were that easy, Jay, but it's not," said Mal.

"Of course not," Jay complained.

"I need to go back to the underground cavern where the Wishing Well was in the old world," said Mal.

"But it's empty," said Eleanor. "I know, 'cause I checked."

"That's because there was no vessel there to contain the magic. That vessel is me," said Mal. "I just need to be down there to grant the wish. To wish us out of this hell and back to our normal lives."

"But?" Evie asked, predicting a catch.

"While I was, well, glowing, I could see... stuff. Stuff that tells me how this could all work," said Mal. "Creating this world required power. Undoing it, though, it requires something much more exorbitant."

"What would that be?" asked Evie.

Mal steps closer towards the edge in a dramatic way as she stares up at the gloomy skies. They only represent how she feels on the inside considering what the cost is to undo the damage she has done to this world. She was definitely scaring the others. To hope for a simple solution out of this was foolish, they knew. If the decades-long war told them anything, it's that the ways of the new world are harder than the old world. Not wanting to keep them in suspense for long, Mal spoke of the cost.

"Sacrifice," Mal answered darkly.

 **This is where this chapter ends. Honestly, even I'm scared about where this is going. The cost to undo this new world... I may need more time to think about it. I said before that I did not create this new world just to throw it away so easily. Even if lots of people knew/hoped it would lead to this point, I just had to add something more for the sake of the dark tone in this story.**

 **For the next chapter, not only will we get more answers from Mal but we will also be seeing how Uma and company are doing. I was supposed to add a scene with Uma in this chapter, but I ran out of time on my schedule so I had to update this immediately.**

 **So, what do you think?**


	23. An Impossible Choice

**I hope I haven't been gone for too long. Trying to update quickly is stressful, not to mention not at all worth it if I'm not given time to think. Anyways, enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, CarvieCamfia2, Mustang52, MaliceMalAmyMalevFaery**

 ** _To CarvieCamfia2_: You submitted a review to my new story "Unlike Other Nora" but only to ask me if I was gonna update "A Whole New World". Look, I'm sorry I took so long, but it's either I'm too busy in real life or I just wanted to work on other stories until I'm ready to come back here. I know it's scary to think a long HIATUS means the author might have given up his/her story, but... here I am. Imagine my disappointment when I got a notification about a review for "Unlike Other Nora" only to find out it's you asking me about "A Whole New World". I just don't like reviews that have nothing to do with the story I write about, okay. I'm sorry if I sound mad, but... you weren't the first one to submit a review to one of my stories just to ask me about another story.**

 ** _To MaliceMalAmyMalevFaery_: Lonnie was a war casualty. We're talking about a sacrifice that could help restore the old world.**

Mal hasn't spoken in the past five minutes. She just stared at the skies as she waited for a response from her friends. What she just revealed, the price that must be paid to restore the light of goodness to the world, it scared everyone. They may not know what she completely meant, but the grave tone in her voice and the spooky way she stared at the grey horizon had them thinking of the most obvious meaning of the word. Losing Lonnie in the battle on the Isle was the root of their fears concerning Mal's words. But they need to hear it from her.

"What do you mean by _sacrifice_?" Evie asked.

"Someone I care about dies so the undoing process can be done," Mal said grimly.

"Well, can't the Well's magic just undo the sacrifice so no one has to die?" Jay asked.

"No," Mal said gravely. "Whoever is sacrificed, stays dead. Nothing, no magic spell or luck, not even hope can change that."

"So, whoever is chosen for the sacrifice, it's The End for him or her?" Carlos asked, scared.

Mal nodded. Now everyone is even more scared about what's coming next.

"But why must this be the price we need to pay?" asked Ben. "Why would the Well seek to make us suffer more than we already have?"

"I don't know," said Mal. "But what I do know is that the Well demands a sacrifice. It can't just be any random person. It has to be someone I hold close and dear."

"So, you're gonna kill one of us to save the day?" Chad questioned.

"What do you take me for, Chad?" Mal accused.

"Sorry," Chad apologized sincerely. "It's just... you've been... uh, how do I put this lightly..."

"Unpredictably complicated? Unstably impulsive? Neurotically heedless?" Mal guessed bluntly.

"I was just gonna say very unsure of yourself, but okay," Chad replied.

"Well, you're partially right on that," said Mal.

"So, we're stuck in this nightmare forever, is that what you're saying?" Jay complained.

"I'm not saying that," said Mal.

"You're the one who said one of us has to die to make everything normal again," Jay said tensely.

"I know you're still worked up about Lonnie, but I need you to not throw a tantrum," said Mal.

"Do you have some sort of loophole around this?" Jane asked hopefully.

"I'm afraid there isn't an alternative," Mal said sadly. "I'm sorry to tell you all this, but I promised myself I'd be the best I can be. That includes being honest with you guys. Every time I keep secrets, it never ends well."

"It never gets easy, does it?" Eleanor muttered to herself.

"So, what now?" Jordan asked. "We debate on who we're going to sacrifice?"

"Hey, if you're offering me, I'm tossing myself back in the mines," said Chad.

"We're not debating this," said Audrey. "Okay, no one is going to die. Not again. Right? Mal, help me here. Right?"

"I'm... I'm not sure," Mal hesitated.

"Mal, can we talk? Alone?" Ben asked.

"For you, whenever and always," said Mal.

"What about us?" asked Carlos.

"Don't sacrifice Chad," Mal joked.

"Wow, she really cares about you, Prince Charming," Jay teased.

"I'm beginning to wish she doesn't," Chad mumbled.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the shore at Hook's Bay, Harry was sitting next to a rock fiddling with his pocket. Uma was on the deck of The Lost Revenge, watching him. Gil was sleeping in. Uma and Harry didn't dig him out until a few days after Mal's visit. He has been staying away from the sand ever since. But back to Uma... she just stands there on the ship, wishing to speak to Harry but - for some reason - doesn't. As for Harry, he would glance at Uma once in a while, but only because she wouldn't stop staring from the distance.

His phone rang. It was Uma. Apparently, if he wasn't gonna talk to her face-to-face, she thought they might as do it over the phone.

"I need more time, Uma," Harry said as he answered.

"Why is that?" asked Uma. "Ever since last week, you've barely said a word to me. I thought... I thought we... we were patching things up."

"Uma, last thing I remember about you, you almost killed CJ," said Harry. "The overwhelming feeling of my memories coming back to me made me forget briefly. But now, I just cannot believe I would hold you close after remembering that my sister's blood tainted my hands in her dying breath."

"Even now, you choose her over me?" Uma questioned.

"I have let you rule my life for years. It had not perturbed me until my love for my sister became clear to me," said Harry. "To watch her die, after seeing you

"That was her fault. I wanted to kill Freddie. CJ got in the way," Uma explained.

"But you were willing to let her die just as long as I do what you say," Harry argued. "My heart beats for you, Uma, but I must amned myself before I can truly decide whether or not our hearts deserve to be mend together."

"Once upon a time, you would not even hesitate to think about that," Uma remembered.

"True," Harry admitted. "But blood is thicker than sea water. Believe me, I cannot even recognize myself right now, but CJ needs me more than you do right now. I will still sail the waters with you, Uma, but until I find CJ and help her remember that I treasure our familial bond more than treasure, I am only your first mate."

Harry hangs up, much to Uma's annoyance and sadness. To see Harry grow from following her everywhere to defying her for his sister, she was beginning to assess herself concerning how she feels about Harry. _Have I been taking advantage of him_ , she wondered. That would be truly evil of her to do, but it made her feel terrible. Maybe it's because it's Harry, who she actually has feelings for. But their relationship is tainted with blind loyalty and blood ties.

"I take it he's still upset," Gil guessed, having just woken up to hear some of what Uma said over the phone.

"He wants his sister back, and he cares little if that means pushing me away," said Uma.

"I admit, I'm surprised. I thought he'd follow you everywhere no matter what," said Gil.

"I guess we all have some growing up to do," Uma said sadly.

"Uh, I may not be smart anymore, but is this about Mal?" Gil guessed. "Are we gonna help her?"

"Do you want to help her?" Uma questioned with a glare.

"Uh, well... I... it's..." Gil hesitated.

"Just say it," said Uma. "I don't care if I don't like it."

Gil takes a deep breath and says, "I don't know if Sophie is dead or not in this world, but I know she would want me to do good. To be honest, I want to do good. I still like being bad, but... ever since we came to Auradon Prep, I've been feeling... soft and ticklish... on the inside. I guess that's a good feeling. _Good_. As in, good-good in a way that makes good look good, instead of just good."

"I'm starting to miss the genius you right now," Uma said sarcastically.

Uma's phone rings again. It was Harry. She answers.

"Yes?" She asked.

"You better get down here, captain," said Harry. "Facilier's daughter is here."

Uma and Gil walk off The Lost Revenge and approach Harry, who was having a staredown with Freddie, who just arrived. Freddie took a long and hard look at Harry, trying to see if he remembers or not. Harry said nothing, as he would rather have Uma and Gil be present for whatever topic needs to be discussed between the pirate crew and the daughter of the now deceased Dr. Facilier. When Freddie's eyes met Uma's, it just went from intense to awkward. Last time they saw each other (the _real_ last time), Uma tried to kill her. Freddie had to watch CJ jump in front of her to take the sword for her. Just like with Harry, there is bad blood between Uma and Freddie because of CJ's "death."

"What are you doing here?" Uma asked.

"Some purple light that showed up out of nowhere and guided me here," said Freddie. "And we both know who loves purple."

"Mal," Harry knew.

"I take it she wanted me here because this involves you three," Freddie guessed.

"Do you remember the Wishing Well?" Uma asked.

"As a matter of fact, I do. Very, very, _very_ clearly," Freddie said, glaring at Uma with hatred.

"So, you remember as well," Harry said.

"Again, I'm not a smart guy anymore, but I'm guessing Mal wants the four of us to team up and help her," Gil assumed.

"Help with what?" asked Freddie.

"Correcting this world. Dethroning Maleficent. Saving Auradon. The usual hero stuff," Uma answered casually.

"Well, where is she?" asked Freddie.

* * *

Once again, Mal and Ben have another private talk. While everyone is probably joking about sacrificing Chad, they were having a serious discussion about what the Wishing Well's magic demands in order to reverse the wish that created this new world. It wasn't gonna be an easy talk, considering Ben's distraught facial expression and the somewhat barely visible disquietude on Mal's face.

"You say you want to be honest with us, but you're not telling us everything," said Ben.

"And if I was hiding something, what would it be?" Mal asked, internally frightened that Ben had caught her.

"That you would have to sacrifice your own mother to save us and you don't want to do that," Ben guessed.

Mal paused and remained silent, crossing her arms as she avoided eye contact with him.

"It's obvious why you would hide that from us. They probably wouldn't have too much problem with using Maleficent, but you don't want to lose your chance at helping her become the mother you always wanted her to be," said Ben.

"I tried to kill her, Ben," Mal reminded him. "No matter how much I want to bond with her, there is still a part of me that would drive that sword into her heart even if I hesitate."

"That wasn't your real mother. She doesn't remember," said Ben.

"You're wrong, Ben. She does remember," Mal revealed. "I accidentally triggered her memories of the old world. That means that the Maleficent from the past few weeks was the real Maleficent. She's no longer a lizard and now she's picking up where she left off. She doesn't care if this world belongs to the villains. She doesn't care about my desire to be good. I won't give up on her, but after what happened on the Isle, I am struggling to keep my promise to her."

"But you feel that you would have no choice if you finally decide to let her go," Ben assumed.

"Maybe," Mal replied as her lips twitched with anxiety.

"Is this really about your mom or is it about you?" Ben asked. "I don't deny you care about her, hence why her sacrifice would help you save the world, but there's something about this that will leave an eternal scar on you."

"The me who returned to your castle after dying on Skull Rock, I can never escape it," Mal said sadly. "Everything that's happened since I came back, it all goes back to the day my life should've expired." She rolls up her sleeve, stares at her Double Dragon Tattoo, and says, "But I keep being challenged. To truly atone for my sins, to overcome every test dropped at my feet..."

"You fell your mother is your final test," Ben guessed.

"She's still evil, Ben, and she always will be," said Mal. "But I have to try. All this effort will be all for nothing if I am forced to sacrifice my own mother to save everyone. My own mother, Ben! How can I ever... even if I have to, I don't know if... I try so hard to turn my life around every time I've hit rock bottom, but the world keeps throwing challenges at me that forces me to make the most impossible decisions. We lost Lonnie. I don't know if I can afford to lose anyone else, least of all my mom."

Mal was on the verge of tears. Ben holds her close as she leans on him for comfort. Once again, Mal is reminded just how much she missed Ben. To have him to be with her whenever she's breaking down emotionally, it was more than just a good feeling.

"We can't make your choices for you, Mal," said Ben.

"Obviously," Mal replied.

"Is this really the only way to save the world?" Ben asked.

"It's not pretty, but yeah," Mal confirmed.

"Then you have to decide how you want to tackle this," said Ben. "I don't want you to have to choose between the world and your mother either, but if this is truly unavoidable, then you have to..."

"Listen to my heart," Mal interrupted but with a small smile.

"You know, I don't know if you don't know this, but Mom and Dad died in this world because Mom was faced with an impossible choice," said Ben. "One of Maleficent's Knuckleheads betrayed her and he just happened to run into Mom and Dad while they were looking for Aladdin and Jasmine, both who were missing at the time. The Knucklehead was abused and tortured and he couldn't take it. My Mom wanted to trust him and take him in because Maleficent was looking for him. But it was a trap. The Knucklehead was truly a traitor, but Dad warned Mom against trusting him. Mom had a choice. Risk her people's safety just to save one innocent life or let him suffer under Maleficent's wrath. Her own life or someone else's. My mom met up with him. My Dad and his men followed her. I was an eager young boy ready for action and disobeyed Dad's orders of staying behind. Then your mother and her minions showed up. You know what happened after that."

Ben hanged his head in sadness at the memory. It wasn't real, but it was real here in the new world. Mal can only imagine how difficult it must be for everyone to remember the old world but still plagued by the scars of their lives in the new world.

"Actually, that was me," Mal confessed.

"What?" Ben asked, shocked.

"Six years ago. Tailing a traitorous Knucklehead. I was just hanging out with my friends," said Mal. "I told Mom where the Knucklehead was. Your parents are dead because of me."

"And you didn't tell me this before?" asked Ben.

"That wasn't me, you know. And I didn't know about your mom. Just the Knucklehead," said Mal. "But if we are stuck here until the day we die, then I'm gonna have to live with the guilt even if it wasn't me. I am so sorry, Ben."

Ben was now trying to recover from the shock. Of course, he couldn't be angry at Mal since the Mal that ratted out the Knucklehead and let Maleficent to parents was the Mal of this new world. But still, his pain and loss are real. And now it's all coming. He won't let it consume him like the New World version of him would, but the overwhelming feeling of remembering both lives was trouble for his psyche. All that anger from the past. The uncertainty and imbalance of emotions from now. Mal preferred to let Ben deal with it on his own rather than saying something that would make it worse.

"I think we both need time to calm down and think," said Ben.

"That's wise," Mal agreed.

"We can't promise we'll back up whatever decision you make, Mal, but we will try to accept what you choose to do," said Ben.

Ben leaves Mal alone so she can think. He also needed time to think himself. He doesn't blame Mal for what happened to his parents in this new world, but this revelation is not just something he can get over so quickly. While Ben returns to his friends on the cliffside, Mal stands there thinking about what must be done to save the world. No way was she sacrificing any one of her friends just to save the world. She's not that kind of person, not anymore. She may have been willing to hurt them back then, but that's the past. But what about her mother? What if she gives Mal no choice in the end? Mal knows she has the will to kill her. She just doesn't have the reason to.

Mal stares at the shining light in her hand and its ever-changing color. Sunlight gold. Ocean blue. Midnight purple. The magic that lies within her is the key to restoring normality to the world.

"Your mother isn't the only option for sacrifice, is there?"

Mal breathes calmly and says, "Eavesdropping, Eleo?"

"Just because I don't want my mother's mission, it doesn't mean I don't wanna help," said Eleanor, who has been eavesdropping the whole time. She rolls out of the shadows and asks, "You're not being completely open with Ben. I thought you don't want to be that person anymore."

"If he knew what I'm holding back, he would lose it. They all will," said Mal.

"Why then? Who else must be sacrificed for the Wishing Well's curse to be reverse?" Eleanor asked.

Mal walks over to a little puddle of water and stares at her reflection. A tear from her own eye dropped from her face and landed on the puddle. After watching the ripples in her reflection, Mal threw a fireball at the puddle, evaporating it completely.

Eleanor flinched. Mal's anger, no matter what transformation she undergoes, has always been unpredictable. When it shows, it's terrifying.

* * *

In the observatory in Agrabah, Maleficent and her pet Diablo were on their way to see Jafar, who summoned her for a meeting with Agrabah's royal astronomer, who happens to be the father of Reza. Reza, as in Carlos' intellectual school rival back in the old world. As Maleficent walked towards the room where you can see through the giant telescope that you can from outside the building, she talked to her crow (who stood on Maleficent's scepter) about her daughter.

"I gave her everything I could give her. The malice from my own blood. The wickedness from my veins. The Dragon's Blood that made her the powerful villain she is today," Maleficent started. "Yet, she throws these gifts at my face, literally and figuratively." Gritting her teeth in anger and confusion, she said, "I cannot understand her."

Diablo caws in annoyance and actually rolls his eyes. Hearing her mistress talk about her daughter all day was maddening.

"Oh, if you had a child of your own and she refused what you've given her, you'd be disappointed to," said Maleficent. "Yet, she claims to want to be my daughter. She thinks she can just turn me around just like that. She's a fool. And if what Jafar is about to tell me right now is as helpful as he says, making her pay for her betrayal will come sooner than even I expected."

Diablo, this time, caws with a supportive evil smile (Do crows smile?)

"I know you never liked her, Diablo, but you still don't get to peck her," said Maleficent.

Maleficent enters the telescope room where Jafar was with the royal astronomer and Reza. Reza was asked to leave once Maleficent arrived. This just left the adults (and the crow) to speak in private. Jafar knew that he needed to tell the queen of the lands of this news first before spreading it to the entire kingdom. As Maleficent said to Diablo, Jafar claims it's something helpful to the war.

"What is it?" asked Maleficent.

Jafar turns to the astronomer and says, "Tell her what you told me."

"My son and I have been noticing a strange pattern in the skies lately," said the astronomer. "It wrecks of magic. According to Jafar..."

"It's your magic, Maleficent. Or rather, you daughter's," said Jafar.

"We traced the interference to a forest somewhere in the Borderlands," said the astronomer. "When I contacted a friend who lived near there, he said there was nothing there. Odd, isn't it?"

"She's hiding the resistance there," Maleficent realized. "But how could you have known this through so-called patterns in the sky?"

"I'm not the magic expert, but whatever magic she is using to hide the forest from sight must be causing shifts. The clouds change shape constantly at an unpredictable rate. The stars shine right through the dark clouds. The moon is slightly out of position. And the oddest thing is that a shooting star suddenly changed course at the same time of this strange phenomenon."

"And this is somehow links to Mal?" Maleficent questioned. "Unless she's learned to bend reality itself, this is just a bunch of astronomical nonsense."

"We're sure of it, Maleficent," said Jafar. "We know where the resistance hides now, which means we can finish what we started back on the island."

"Yes, indeed," Maleficent agreed despite her doubts. "Jafar, get the villains and tell them to travel to that forest separately. We'll catch them by surprise."

"And what of your daughter?" asked Jafar. "She's a problem, but she is yours. What should we do with her?"

"She's mine to handle," said Maleficent. "And she will regret betraying me."

Maleficent storms out of the room as the it thundered and flashed, startling Jafar and the astronomer. She meant business this time. Who can blame her? Her own daughter betrayed her.

 **Just to avoid confusion, Mal's magical outburst after True Love's Kiss with Ben in Chapter 21 caused the reality shifts that captured Jafar's attention. But what's obvious is that the resistance is once again in danger. This may seem a bit like filler, but I really have a lot of loose ends to tie, such as Uma and company, as well as bringing Maleficent back after a sorta lengthy absence. (You'd think me tagging Maleficent as one of the four main characters means I'll include a lot of her, but she's only in like half of the story)**

 **I don't know how long it will take for me to update (it really depends on my IRL schedule and FanFic schedule), but to make things easier for all of us, I'll tell you how much of the story is left:**

 **Chapter 24 (next chapter): AKs and VKs unite again  
Chapter 25: Mal vs. Maleficent**

 **We're nearing the climax, so get ready.**


	24. Accepting Change

**This where the AKs and VKs assemble. I really need to give everyone their moments before the final battle. It takes up too much time, basically filler, but I wanted it in order to make the story feel a little more complete. Enjoy.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the most recent reviews: DragonEmperor999, Navy Apocalypse 321, xez2003**

 ** _To Navy Apocalypse 321_: Oooo-kay...**

Uma and her crew sail The Lost Revenge towards the forest at the Borderlands where Maleficent says the resistance is hiding. As she planned, the villains will be traveling to the forest separately. That way, no one will suspect the surprise attack they have in store. Uma had to obey to keep up appearances. She doesn't know that Maleficent remembers the old world (but Maleficent doesn't know that Uma, Harry, and Gil remember either). Uma mans the wheel as The Lost Revenge moves across the dark waters right behind Harriet Hook's ship (which was about five minutes ahead of The Lost Revenge, as of now).

Freddie, since she was already with Uma, Harry, and Gil at the time the order was given, had to tag along.

Harry, however, continued to avoid Uma. It really saddens Uma that Harry would keep his distance from her. Love for family has clearly overtaken his love for her. At first, Uma thought that CJ just got into Harry's head as a method of manipulation. It wasn't until she almost killed CJ that she finally saw the real love between brother and sister.

"Remind me again why we're following Maleficent's orders if this isn't the real world?" Gil whisper-asked.

"Because we can't let her know," said Uma. "If she knows, she'll find out the truth eventually. Then she'll kill us to make sure we can't help Mal."

"Oh," Gil said.

"Why couldn't you keep at least half of your brains?" Uma complained.

"But we are helping Mal, right?" Gil asked quietly.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to the forest," said Uma.

"What bridge?" Gil asked.

Uma sighs, annoyed, and bangs her head on the wheel a couple times. She's wishing more and more that she was stuck with the smart Gil. Unlike the old Gil, the new Gil is not an idiot. Still, she preferred that he remembered the old world. Otherwise, she'd be alone, what with Harry not wanting to speak to her and all.

Speaking of Harry, he was just staring at the waters below instead of manning the sails. Freddie decided to give him some company. She didn't want to, but he is the brother of her ex-best friend.

"Still angry at Uma for almost killing CJ?" Freddie guessed.

"Leave me be, witch," Harry said rudely.

"Wow, that's quite a way to say yes," Freddie replied sarcastically. "Quick question. You'd prefer if I was the one who died, right?"

"Better you than my own sister," Harry answered without hesitation.

"Well, at least we understand each other," said Freddie.

Freddie lightly punches Harry on the shoulder before joining Uma and Gil on the quarterdeck. It's not so much that he preferred that she died is the problem. It's that he cares so much about CJ. It made Freddie think about her own relationship with CJ.

"Captain, mist up ahead!" Desiree reported.

To the crew's confusion, a mist came out of nowhere. Their sight is obscured by the white smoke surrounding the ship. They can't even see Harriet Hook's ship through this mist. Soon enough, they can't even see each other. The mist has covered the entire ship, outside and inside. Uma tries steering away, but it was no use. There was nowhere to steer to but more white smoke.

"Harry, where are you?" Uma asked.

"I can't see a bloomin' thin'," said Harry.

"It smells like straweberry perfume," said Gil.

"How would you know what strawberry perfume smells like?" asked Freddie.

"I can taste the smell," Gil babbled.

"Oh, shut up, wherever you are," Uma snapped.

"Ow! That's my foot," Harry complained.

"That wasn't me," said Gil.

"Wait, can you guys hear anyone else but us?" Freddie asked.

"Who us?" Gil asked.

"Four of us, dummy," Uma replied angrily.

The mist slowly starts clearing up. It still surrounded the ship, but the ship itself was cleared of the mist. Uma, Harry, and Gil can finally see... that the rest of their crew has mysteriously disappeared.

"What the seashells?!" Uma exclaimed, confused.

"Where is everyone?" Gil wondered.

"In the brig."

Uma, Harry, and Gil draw their swords and turn around upon hearing that very familiar voice. Mal stood beside the door to the ship's inside fiddling with some pinkish purple mist.

"That explains the perfume," Gil said.

"Wow, a smart guess. Are you sure you're not still a genius?" Mal said sarcastically.

"You just love surprising us, don't you?" Uma questioned.

"I like to surprise everyone," said Mal.

"This is really not a good time," said Uma.

"Relax. No one is watching us," said Mal. "As far as Harriet and her crew know, it's just your everyday mist on the seas. They won't bother us. And this mist'll last for as long as we need."

"Where's my crew?" asked Uma.

"Uh, I just said. In the brig. Asleep. Not forever, if that's what you're wondering," Mal answered nonchalantly.

"Why are you so aloof about everything?" Uma questioned.

"I'm only aloof when I want to be," said Mal.

Someone came out from below the deck through the door. It was Ben.

"The entire crew is asleep," Ben repoted.

More and more come out from the door. Evie. Carlos. Jay. Audrey. Chad. Jane. Jordan. Ally. As for Eleanor, she had to poofed out on the deck by Mal. CJ slowly came out from below. The pirate with the hook for a hand is the reason why she seemed so hesitant to show herself. Once their eyes met, everything became silent. The last time they saw each other, _truly_ saw each other, CJ was dying in his arms. But here she is now... alive.

"Nice hook," CJ commented casually.

"Well, it is what I am supposed to have," said Harry. "Not because I always desired it, but because it is the position I was left in before..."

"Before I died," CJ interrupted.

"You remember," Harry smiled.

"I know this sounds very mushy, but... missed you," CJ said sincerely.

"As did I," said Harry.

CJ wraps a couple fingers around her brother's hook as she cracks a smile. She raises his left "hand" to his chest as she wraps her second hand around his limb replacement. The intimacy between them, she has truly missed it. He did as well. He did not protest against the closeness she desired with him. All he wanted since his memories were restored is to see her, to _truly_ see her.

"Maybe we should leave these two alone," Freddie suggested.

"I know. It's disturbing," Mal commented.

"What?" Gil reacted, confused.

* * *

While everyone relaxes on the deck, Mal asks Uma for a private talk in the captain's quarters. Uma sits on her desk while Mal serves them both each a mug of cider. Mal sits on a chair across the captain's desk and immediately shares info concerning the Wishing Well. Uma was shocked to hear about this, but also confused. Mostly because by how Mal was able to absorb the well's power. Mal chalked it up as yet another random happening caused by her interference to Uma's wish.

"So, someone you care about has to be sacrificed?" Uma asked, after listening to everything Mal had to say.

"The well seeks to punish me with whatever choice I make," said Mal. "No matter who, no matter how much or little I care about who, the sacrifice will suffice. That means I can't sacrifice even you or Harry or Chad or even my..." She paused in sadness. "My mom."

"You care about me? I'm flattered," Uma said sarcastically.

"Believe it or not, Shrimpy, I do," said Mal. "Even so much as a little sign that I care about someone I claim to despise, the Well can use that to destroy me."

"Seems like the world just has it out for you, huh?" Uma mocked.

"I have no complaints, Uma. I deserve it," Mal said grimly.

"But why come to me?" asked Uma. "You don't need me anymore. You can just change everything back to normal. You don't need me to help you dethrone your mom."

"Uma, I haven't made a decision yet," said Mal. "And even if I did, I can't just turn everything back to the way it was without ensuring there will be peace afterwards."

"What does that mean?" asked Uma.

"Even if we do go back to the real world, who's to say you still won't try to take over Auradon?" Mal said. "I want to trust you, Uma, but I know you too well. You still won't give up. The second I undo all this, you'll just try to find a new way to destroy me and the people I care about."

"Not like you're not a master of doing that yourself," said Uma.

"Let's not bring this up now," Mal said. "Uma, we can't keep fighting each other like this. I mean, look at all what that has accomplished. We tried to kill each other, more than once. We almost got the people we love killed. You killed an innocent man. You almost killed CJ. My obsession over our rivalry infected everyone around me, including you. It's not healthy."

"Plans have changed, but your intentions for me are still the same? You're crazier than CJ," Uma insulted.

"Well, it depends on what type of crazy we're talking about," said Mal.

"So, you just want us to be BFFs after everything is normal?" Uma questioned disinterestedly. "Have you forgotten everything you've done to me? You think I'll just forgive you?"

"My friends, they forgave me for far worse," said Mal. "Sad thing is that I haven't forgiven myself."

"Yeah, sure. Sad, sad, sad," Uma mocked.

"I don't expect us to be completely square after all this, Uma," said Mal. "I simply want us to start over. That's all I want from everyone after all the bad stuff I've done. So far, it hasn't been smooth, but I'll take rough sailing over nothing."

"And what does this have to do with me?" Uma asked, arms crossed.

"Uma, we both know there's one thing in this world you want more than world domination," said Mal. "Harry."

"And if that's true, what's the point?" asked Uma.

"Love is not something to be taken lightly. Harry means more to you than any evil plan," said Mal. "And I know that he hasn't been very warm with you since he got his memories back. Uma, you almost killed her sister..."

"Not my fault. She got in the way," Uma interrupted angrily.

"But did you feel any guilt?" Mal questioned. "Harry has accepted his affection for his sister. The question is, are you willing to accept that he has more room in his heart for more than just you?"

"And you think this'll turn me good?" Uma questioned. "Look, Princess, I've been thinking about this really hard since our last meeting. I'm not saying I'm cooperating, but you did have me thinking. I'm angry, okay? Angry at everything. I thought that when Harry and I got our memories back, I had one anchor to who I am. But then he remembered what I did to CJ and he wouldn't even talk to me. It hurts, I admit. But I don't know what to do."

"He still wants you, Uma," said Mal. "But you have to stop taking advantage of him and accept that CJ is now a vital part of his life. Trust me, you had no idea how close they were during the war. I was one of them, remember? I had my eyes everywhere. They were very, very close. And I don't just mean being touchy."

"Okay, just stop," Uma interrupted. "Just stop it, Mal. If you really want me to change, can't you just use the well's magic? It can change everything, remember?"

"Uma, I told you once that I wanted to accomplish what I want and need through my own actions, not by a life-changing wish," said Mal. "I want us to be friends, but it has to be from both sides."

"Then we got nothing more to talk about," said Uma. "Get out of here, Mal. Don't make me ask you twice."

"Suit yourself," said Mal.

Mal stood up and left the captain's quarters. Uma, however, couldn't stay angry after this conversation. What Mal had said to her, it's all too much to just ignore. What she said she must do to earn back Harry's love, those words are just eating through her heart.

* * *

Eleanor was just sitting by the railing, staring at the fog disallowing her from seeing the sky. _It is a good plan_ , she admitted. Two things dominated her mind. Her mother and the sacrifice Mal must make. Besides her obvious hostile feelings towards her mother, she couldn't stop thinking about how enraged Mal looked when she looked at her own reflection. But she knew what it exactly meant, considering the question she asked the sorceress before the emotional episode.

She then held her mother's necklace, which she put around her neck once more.

"Any regrets?" Ben asked as he approached her.

"About keeping secrets, too many," Eleanor answered.

"Mal told me everything," said Ben. "The car crash. Your mother's mission. How you can still remember after the Wishing Well. All of it."

"Well, considering our history, it's obvious she didn't want you to hate me for my secrets," said Eleanor.

"I wouldn't hate you. I could never. I would've just been forever curious," said Ben.

"I did this to myself, you know," Eleanor said, gesturing to her legs and the wheelchair. "I was so young, so lost, so unready, I chose to do something reckless just to convince you to take me in. I know I could've done something simple, but I thought something real would ensure no future suspicions."

"But you didn't count being truly mortal, weren't you?" Ben asked. "It's okay to feel afraid, Eleanor. It's a part of our lives."

"At least you can still walk," said Eleanor.

"Mal's going to reverse everything she and Uma did to this world. There's hope for you to get back to who you were before," said Ben.

"If Mal has the guts to make the ultimate sacrifice," said Eleanor. "She won't sacrifice Uma or her mother, Ben. You know that."

"I know," said Ben.

"Doesn't it scare you that she might sacrifice one of us?" Eleanor asked.

"Of course it's scaring me," said Ben. "But she's made it clear she wants to see this through."

"I'm sure mom would be proud of her," Eleanor said bitterly.

"Mal also told me you threw your mother's necklace into the river," said Ben. "You're acting as if she abandoned you."

"How can it not feel that way, Ben?" Eleanor questioned. "First, she leaves me without even telling me where she's going. I've been watching over you and your family hoping she might come to me if I do a good job. Then all _this_ happens and I get to experience what it's like to be a real physically-handicapped mortal. I wanna believe she has a good reason, but I can't think like that anymore. I know I should be hopeful, but this world makes it hard too."

"Are you sure your mom didn't leave you a clue of where she went?" asked Ben.

"No," said Eleanor. "She wouldn't trust even her own daughter with her secret."

"I remember when Mom and Dad told me about how she reacted to the unifying of the kingdoms," said Ben. "I had no idea she would be so bothered by all that. We just wanted peace."

"She wanted balance. Yes, she wants the good to outweigh the bad, but what your Dad did was not what she had in mind," said Eleanor.

"She wanted redemption. She wanted second chances. Just like my father," Ben understood.

"But I don't really care anymore," Eleanor said with bitter sadness.

"You don't mean that," said Ben.

"But I do," Eleanor said honestly. "Besides, all this time trying to fulfill my mother's mission I've been ignoring what I already have. A family. You, your parents, Audrey, Chad, Lonnie, even the VKs... all I ever needed was with you guys."

"I supposed that's a good way of seeing things," said Ben.

Mal wrapped her arms around Ben and said, "That's all any of us can do at this point. Look at the bright side."

"How did it go with Uma?" asked Ben.

"Stubborn, angry, desperate for Harry. Just your typical Uma," said Mal. "But she'll come around. I know it."

"So, should we head for the caves now?" asked Ben.

"I haven't made my choice yet, Ben," said Mal. "Besides, Mom doesn't even know about the Well. We have time."

"My people don't," Ben said gravely.

"Once we fix this, everyone will be okay. Everyone," Mal said positively.

Mal kisses Ben to ignite some positivity in him. It worked, sort of. He decided to help Gil with the wheel because he was messing around with it due to not being able to see anything. Now, it's Mal turn to have a pep talk with Eleanor. Eleanor tried to act like she doesn't know about what Mal had planned to do once they get to the caves. But she wasn't good at hiding her anxiety. Mal could see it.

"I have to make a choice, Eleo. I don't have a way around this," Mal clarified.

"I know," said Eleanor. "It's just... do you have to? I mean, everyone on this ship, they love you. Well, except for Uma, Harry, and Gil, but still..."

"One choice to save us all," said Mal. "Besides, how can I just use my mom just like that?"

"It'd be better for the world, to be honest," Eleanor said frankly.

"I know you're upset about your mom, but being cold doesn't suit you," said Mal.

"I'm just saying, if you had to base this off the easiest choice, wouldn't it be your mom?" Eleanor asked.

"Yes," Mal answered. "Yes, she would be. But that doesn't mean I'm choosing her."

"And what about me? Am I an easy choice?" asked Eleanor.

"Whether or not Ben loves you like family, no," Mal answered.

"Do you ever wish we could be friends?" asked Eleanor.

"Ever since I've made peace with myself, more or less, I've thought about it," said Mal. "You're not as bad as I thought before. You never were. You just made bad choices and kept secrets, but that doesn't make you a bad person."

"Thanks, Mal," Eleanor smiled.

"Righty-o, Eleo," Mal said jokingly. She punched her friend's shoulder in a, well, friendly way.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

After helping Gil get control of the wheel, Ben approaches his friends on the main deck. Audrey, Chad, Jane, Ally, and Jordan were just casually talking about what they've been through and how it's been for all of them. But whenever Lonnie's name is mentioned, the casualness of the conversation diminishes. For good reasons. They all loved her, so did Ben, like family.

"Doesn't it bother you guys how much VK drama we get dragged into?" Chad asked. "I mean, we didn't ask for this."

"I brought the VKs to Auradon, Chad," Ben reminded, deciding to join in. "If there is someone to blame, it's me."

"We all just wanted to finish school and get on with our lives, do whatever we want. Instead, we get caught in three wars," said Chad.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but Chad has a point," said Jordan. "Why drag us into all this?"

"Because we're their friends now, guys," said Ben. "We don't abandon them when they need us, no matter how dangerous it gets."

"It's just so exhausting to think about," said Audrey. "One day, we were just having a peaceful life. Next, we're tested in the field of war. How our lives changed so instantly, it's hard to believe even if it's right in front of you."

"One thing's for sure, Lonnie wouldn't be complaining," said Jane. "She's a fighter, so that's one reason why. But she really loves the VKs... and Jay."

"How is Jay?" Ben asked, concerned.

"He's doing as fine as he can," said Jordan. "But if Mal can really change everything back to the way it's supposed to be, then he and us won't have to feel this way anymore."

"As long as no one is sacrificing me," said Chad.

"She's not gonna sacrifice you. She won't even sacrifice Uma and she hates her more than you," said Ben.

"That's actually helpful to hear," Chad admitted.

"I know our lives have been harder since I invited the VKs to Auradon, but we have to accept whatever lives we've been given," said Ben. "To be honest, I prefer it this way. I mean, not the violence and war, of course not. I meant, the change that came with my choice. I know we could've lived peaceful lives had I not made that proclamation, but it's for the better. You know what they've suffered through for most of their lives."

"We know," everyone said.

"It would still be nice to settle down and not have to fight another war once we're done here," said Ally. "There are only so many rabbit holes I can jump into before I lose my mushrooms."

"We can trust Evie, Jay, Carlos, and Freddie not to start another war. But Mal..." Chad stopped himself.

"Complicated, I know," said Ben.

"She's still wearing your ring and an engagement ring," Audrey noticed. "Are you sure? I mean, I shouldn't have to ask that, but..."

"Time will tell," said Ben. "Mal and I are destined to be together, I'm sure of it. It's just a matter of wondering how we could ever make it work forever."

"Well, as someone who's dated you twice now - yes, I'm counting our lives in this world - here's all the advice I can give you," said Audrey. "Just keep her happy. Keep her happy, you make yourself happy. Then you'll both be happy. Let your happiness decide your future."

"Thanks, Audrey," said Ben.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

On the quarterdeck, Jay and Freddie are watching over Gil, who is still steering, while CJ and Harry chat just beside the railing. The two Hook siblings just stand shoulder to shoulder and talk so calmly towards one another. _It was touching_ , their friends thought. Then CJ touches Harry's chin a coochy-coochy-coo manner and he pokes her nose with his hook. _What is wrong with them_ , the others thought.

"They're so adorable... and gross," Freddie commented.

"Why is it gross?" Gil asked.

"Hook sibling love. Just as crazy as they are," Jay commented.

"We can hear you guys," said CJ.

"And must this be a recurring remark on our family?" Harry questioned. "We are aware of our issues. We just choose to accept them."

"No therapist can help these two," Jay muttered.

CJ and Harry ignore the three of them and mind their own business. They're finally reunited so they're gonna take advantage of every second together, no matter what anyone says about them.

"Don't you just feel proud of them?" Freddie asked the ex-thief.

"Considering they both tried to kill us many times before, I'm surprised I'm actually proud of them," said Jay.

"She sacrificed herself to save me," Freddie remembered. "I can't forget it, not that I want to."

"Think we can all be friends when this is over?" Gil wondered.

"Tired of being bad?" Freddie guessed.

"No, but I think I want to be good," said Gil. "I mean, if you guys are serious about Mal erasing all the badness in the world, then I can see Sophie again."

"She's not dead, Gil," said Freddie. "Imprisoned, but alive. But don't even think about trying to save her. Mal saves us, it won't matter if we go for her or not."

"I just... I just want to see her," Gil said sadly.

"So do we, man," said Jay. "Being bad is fun, but being good is for the best. Love, friendship, and all that stuff, it's really worth it."

"Hey, where are Evie and Carlos?" Gil wondered, noticing those two are not on the deck.

CJ smirked. _If only they knew_ , she thought to herself.

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Where are Evie and Carlos? They're in one of The Lost Revenge's rooms below the deck. They locked themselves in. Why? They're having dinner together. Carlos had packed an entire basket full of food for the two of them before they left the forest. They thought that if something bad happens, they could spend some time together. This is not how they pictured a first date, but now is as good a time as any. Since Mal hasn't made her choice and Maleficent doesn't know about the Wishing Well, they're in no rush.

After setting up the table, they sat and ate. Their dinner is only strawberries, apples, grapefruit, chocolate, and Evie's special soup (made from ingredients that Evie "borrowed" from the resistance).

"Not how I envisioned our first date, but as long as I'm with you, I don't mind it," said Evie.

"I just don't want to waste any more opportunities again," said Carlos. "I've wasted too many."

"I know. Me too," said Evie.

"In all fairness, you were oblivious to your feelings and I was just..." Carlos paused awkwardly.

"Shy," Evie finished with a grin.

Carlos chuckled and blushed and hid his face in embarrassment.

"Don't be so embarrassed. I love that song. It reminds me of you," said Evie.

"I just don't usually sing solo," said Carlos. "I feel a lot more comfortable singing with you guys."

"Well, you shouldn't be shy. You have a great voice," said Evie. "Maybe you should record your version of that song. It could be our special song."

"You mean our wedding song?" Carlos teased.

Evie giggled, but she still smiled.

"Overstepping it?" Carlos asked nervously.

"Yeah, but I don't mind," said Evie. She holds his hand and says, "I'm not going anywhere, Carlos. My heart is yours, as yours is mine."

"You purified the core in my apple, and for that my life is forever in your hand," Carlos said in Shakespearean way.

"Like chocolate and peanut butter, we are the perfect match," Evie said formally.

After sharing a laugh, the two proceeded to enjoy their dinner. They ate rather slowly, as they constantly stared at one another. Soon enough, they weren't even eating. Evie just juggled an apple on her hand. Carlos tapped his bowl with his spoon repeatedly. They locked themselves in here to have dinner together. Yet, they're barely touching their food. Both their soups are not even halfway done. About a quarter of the chocolate is gone. Only a couple of strawberries are missing. None of the apples have been eaten, and that also counts the apple on Evie's hand. They're both thinking, why are we really here?

"So, um... Mal knew about us?" Carlos asked, trying to break the awkward silence.

"All this time," Evie answered. "She's been shipping us for two years."

"Even while she and I were dating?" Carlos questioned.

"She didn't tell us then because she truly did love you, Carlos," said Evie.

"Boy, am I lucky guy," Carlos said sarcastically.

"Maybe this is just the wrong time for something like this," Evie guessed.

"Or maybe I'm just not ready," said Carlos. "I've been hiding how I felt from you for so long that I... I don't know what to do now that we're here. It's always been just a dream. A dream I never thought would come true. And now here we are... eating dinner... alone... just the two of us... and I don't even have the energy to finish you soup... which is awesome, by the way."

"Well, I sorta feel the opposite," said Evie. "Carlos, I am ready. But I guess before now, I figured you weren't as ready as I hoped you were. We don't have to rush into this, even if this dinner is just a panicked decision. What Mal has been forced to decide, it's scaring up. Fear drives us to do crazy things."

"But it's not just about Mal," said Carlos. "Even if this chapter in our story has a happy ending, can every chapter since then be just as happy if not happier?"

Evie responds by grabbing Carlos by the collar and slowly pulling him closer to her. His chocolate-covered lips touched her apple-flavored lips (caused by apple-flavored lipstick, not the apple). Carlos loses his grip on his spoon as he returns the kiss. Evie had to break away from a few seconds to lick the chocolate off her lips before reuniting them with Carlos'. Apple mixed with chocolate, a decently-flavored combination. They can both taste that combination, but it only made them think of each other. Evie's wrong about the whole chocolate-and-peanut-butter comment. She and Carlos are more like apple and chocolate, and it doesn't matter who is who in the relationship. What matters is that when they're mixed together, they're at each other's best.

Is it the apple-flavored chocolate taste the cause of the elevation from kissing to making out? No. They would go through this situational elevation no matter what their lips are covered with.

"Do you wanna finish all this food?" Evie asked randomly.

"Not anymore," Carlos replied.

"Good enough for me," Evie smiled.

* * *

Meanwhile, Agrabah's royal astronomer arrives at Maleficent's castle to report something important to her. Maleficent refused to answer calls or any types of communication, so Jafar sent the astronomer to the Mistress of Evil's castle to give her the report. He stops running when he reached the huge doors that lead to the throne room. The two Knuckleheads standing guard open the door, allowing the astronomer to walk in.

Maleficent sat there on her throne, eyes closed and holding her scepter very tightly. The orb on the scepter glowed, meaning Maleficent was either meditating with her magic or performing some kind of smell.

"Um, Your Malevolence?" The astronomer called.

"What do you want?" Maleficent asked. "This better be worth my time."

"The shifts, your evilness," said the astronomer.

"You already told me about them, which is why we're launching a sneak attack on the forest right now," said Maleficent.

"Yes, but I missed something," said the astronomer. "Something that could be important to you and our victory."

"Proceed," Maleficent allowed him to explain.

"I were so focused on the origin of the shifts that it took me hours to discover a second origin of the shifts," said the astronomer. "Reza's expertise on the link between magic and science led to the discovery that the patterns in the stars are also being interfered with by something from beneath the Enchanted Wood."

"Something beneath the Enchanted Wood, huh?" Maleficent wondered. "Let me see that."

After taking the astronomer's notes, Maleficent poofs to the library. She looks up at a certain book placed on a very high shelf. Using her scepter, she magically brings it down to her. She keeps the book floating in front of her as she opens it and turns to the page she is searching for. She stops when she found the page that contains the information that is already in her mind. The astronomer's notes and the reality-bending shifts had her thinking about only one type of magic that could be the cause of all this.

"The Wishing Well," Maleficent read. "So, that's how she did it. That's why I believed this world was the real world. She changed the world and removed everyone's memories of the old ones. But it couldn't have been her. She wants to undo all this. So, how did this happen?" After a few seconds of thinking, she shrugs and says, "It doesn't matter. Wishing Well or no Wishing Well, this world will not be undone. Now that I know where Mal and her friends are going, I can stop them from ruining everything. And maybe, if I can get my hands on that power, I can change a few things myself. This world may be perfect, but there is always something more to desire."

 **The final battle begins and ends in the next chapter. It's gonna be long so I hope you can wait. I know this chapter was filled with small talks and small moments (not exactly what you expect out of a penultimate chapter), but the relationships between the characters are just as important as the main plot to me.**

 **So, what do you think?**


	25. One Choice To Save Us All

**Time for the big finale. Although, this isn't exactly the final chapter. There will be an epilogue, of course. Before that, let's dive straight in to how this all ends. I've done the best I can establishing this new world and trying to make it more than just an AU that is fun (not fun) to explore. The grimness, the dire consequences, and the hard choices... let's just get to it then.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, CarvieCamfia2, TheGreatGodzilla**

 ** _To CarvieCamfia2_: Never a bad time for a little Carvie cuteness, even if a grim story like this.**

 ** _To TheGreatGodzilla_: Yeah, well, it's really strange for Carlos. I mean, with a group like Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos... you got one guy (Carlos) who loves both girls, and they both love him back. That spells A-W-K-ward.**

Sheriff Nottingham and his men were coming towards the hidden forest in the Borderlands from the west. Maleficent's plan to attack the forest from all sides was coming to fruition. With all possible escape routes covered, the resistance will be trapped in their new hideout. Nottingham and his men rode their horses slowly around the area where the forest is supposed to be, ready to take their position for the attack. All the villains need to be in place before the attack can begin. Nottingham was supposed to meet up with Madam Mim and her granddaughters (minus Mad Maddy, since she was killed by Mal... again).

"Eyes sharp, men," said Nottingham. "You never know if..."

Suddenly, Nottingham and his horse end up falling into a deep hole, which was covered by fake grass. As if a long fall wasn't bad enough, Nottingham and his horse land on small platforms on the bottom. They turn out to be triggers for explosives, as they could hear a bunch of booms from up above. The ground crumbled, making the hole a lot bigger. The rest of Notthingham's men and their horses fell in.

"What in the name of the devil just happened?" One of the soldiers wondered.

"It's a trap," Nottingham realized. "But how could they have known we were coming? How?"

"Oy, mate!"

That call from up above. It was Will Scarlet, smiling a smug smile at the killers of his fellow Merry Men. Figures he wanted to look at Nottingham's face when he

"Love the view from down there?" Will taunted.

"You rapscallion!" Nottingham cursed.

"Well, have fun in there. We'll pick you up just as soon as we take care o'your friends," Will said casually.

On the other side of the barrier, the Huns were making their way to the south of the forest. Eager to avenge their leader Shan Yu, they were planning to attack early. Unfortunately, the barrier kept them out. They spent the next twenty minutes trying to break through it, using swords, spears, and even a log. None worked. What they succeeded in doing is giving away their position.

"Hey, look," one Hun shouted, pointing at the sky.

Fireworks were launched in the air from somewhere far away. Just when they thought the boom was coming soon, the fireworks changed direction and headed straight towards them.

"What the..."

BOOM!

From far away, Scarlet stood next to a cannon that has been recently fired, looking through a telescope. She could see the Huns... and what just happened to them. After waking up from her long "nap," she was told by Ben that the villains are planning an attack on the resistance. She doesn't know about Mal's involvement because Ben needed her to focus. And focused she was in firing the cannon.

"Bulseye!" Scarlet cheered.

She takes out her phone and calls Will Scarlet.

"Huns are down and out, for good," said Scarlet.

 _"Nottingham and his men are six feet under," Will reported. "Well, fifty feet, to be exact, but who's counting?"_

Unfortunately, Hades' arrival proved to be a problem. He saw the ambush coming and used his magic to draw the ambush party out of hiding. It's raining hellfire everywhere. Ursula followed with a huge tidal wave (the forest is quite close to a beach) to "wash away" her enemies. Jafar transforms into a giant snake and slithers around the woods scaring the rebels. Scarlet could see it all from where she was.

"Will, we got a problem," said Scarlet.

 _"Yeah, I'm lookin' at it," said Will. "Hold on. Kristoff's in a pickle. I gotta go save his sorry end."_

Kristoff was about to ambush Hans and his 12 brothers, but the interference of Jafar, Ursula, and Hades brought him into the open for attack. With his weapons "washed away" along with Sven (he's alive, but far away from his owner), Kristoff is at the mercy of the man who killed his beloved Anna.

"Still lounging in the dirt, mountain boy?" Hans insulted.

"Shut up," Kristoff replied angrily.

Suddenly, Will Scarlet comes out of nowhere, holding one of Hans' brothers hostage with a sword against his neck. Cue the stalemate.

"I was handling this," said Kristoff.

"Yeah, sure, mate," Will said mockingly.

"You're not gonna kill my brother, Scarlet," Hans dared.

Unexpectedly, Scarlet grabs Hans in a choke hold and holds an arrow close to his nose. The rest of his brothers are now in battle stance, readying themselves for a fight but they do not want to risk Hans' life (despite how they despise each other).

"Actually, that's my name," said Scarlet.

Unfortunately for Scarlet, Jafar came slithering in. He was just passing by, though, but his thundering slither caused Scarlet and Will Scarlet to tumble and lose their weapons. Now it's Hans who has them facing the edge of a sword.

"Any more witty remarks before we reunite you with your fallen allies?" Hans asked.

To the shock of everyone, a magic beam of cold ice descended towards Hans. It froze him and his 12 brothers in an iceberg with only their heads (or arms or legs) sticking out. Everyone looks up and sees someone floating through the air and leaving an icy trail behind her.

"Elsa?" Kristoff reacted, shocked.

"I'll be a quiver's shining arrow," Scarlet and Will said at the same time.

Elsa blasts ice at Jafar to keep him away and then freezes his entire snake body, covering it in ice. She rescues everyone caught in Ursula's flood by creating plates of ice beneath their feet. After guiding them to safety, she freezes the water. Ursula tries to zap her with the trident, but Elsa avoids the blast. She blasts the trident off Ursula's tentacles and covers her in ice. As for Hades, Elsa reaches for what appears to be a rune with a Greek symbol on it. She creates a blizzard that made Hades feel the sting of winter (as if her winter curse in the North Mountain wasn't already the worst).

As for the other villains... Elsa throws Yzma into a lake and freezes the lake. She traps Ratcliffe and his men in a dome of unbreakable ice. And she traps Madam Mim and her granddaughters in one little spot cursed with eternal winter.

Elsa descends and lands before Kristoff, Will, and Scarlet. Cue the awkward stares between Kristoff and Elsa. Last time they saw each other, Elsa just abandoned the resistance following Anna's death. But he couldn't be too mad at her after she just saved the resistance's lives.

"The ice won't hold for long, but long enough for us to regroup," said Elsa.

"Good to see you," Kristoff said sincerely in spite of what his face suggests.

"You, too," said Elsa. After a brief pause, she says, "I'm sorry about Anna."

"She'll be happy that you're back with us," said Kristoff.

"She will," Elsa agreed.

The awkward conversation between Kristoff and Elsa was cut short when Fairy God Mother poofed in. The skirt on her dress was burning, but she was mostly fine.

"Hellfire "

"Where were you?" asked Will.

"Ambushed. Jafar trapped me in a barrier that negated my magic. They wanted to take me out first," said Fairy God Mother. "It was only thanks to Elsa here that I was freed. Thank you, by the way, dear."

"You're welcome," said Elsa.

"I take it Ben really isn't going to be here for this attack?" Fairy God Mother asked.

"He was very serious about this quest he needs to take on," said Scarlet. "He only asks us to protect everyone."

"Well, I can't judge him if it's something very important," said Fairy God Mother. "I may be the most powerful magical being, but there is only so much I can do by myself. I may need your assistance."

"We're not abandoning you or anyone," said Kristoff.

"So, shall we?" Scarlet asked, preparing her bow.

"I'm ready when you are, mates," Will said as he grabbed an arrow from his quiver.

* * *

While the resistance fights the villains to their last breath, an invisible drone hovered over the area, watching over everything. That drone made by Carlos and made invisible by Mal's magic. Considering that Mal and her friends have to get to the underground caves of the Enchanted Wood quickly, they wanted to make sure that Scarlet and the resistance are doing okay. If something goes wrong and the world remains like this, they want to make sure there's still good people left in this world.

Carlos linked the drone's camera to his phone. That way, he and his friends can see what's happening at the Borderlands. Right now they are in the Enchanted Wood, heading to the cave that housed the Wishing Well in the old world.

Mal. Evie. Jay. Carlos. Ben. Audrey. Chad. Jane. Jordan. Ally. Freddie. Uma. Harry. Gil. CJ. All of them there to witness the restoration of the old world... that is, if they all live to see it.

"Where has she been all this time?" Evie asked, referring to Elsa.

"That castle of hers at the North Mountain," Mal answered. "She never wanted to come out for any reason."

"That explains the snowstorm," said Audrey.

"Think they can hold them?" Jay asked.

"If Mal can make everything normal, then it'll be okay," said Chad.

"But that would mean one of us won't be coming back," Carlos said, worried.

"Wait until we get there to worry, Snowball," said Mal.

"Worry about dying," CJ muttered. "Seriously, am I sufficient for sacrifice? Do you actually care about me?"

"I don't need the Well's magic to know who I can sacrifice," said Mal. "Like it or not, CJ, I _do_ care about you... unless you give me a reason to stop."

"I'd rather discuss this back home... or in hell," said CJ.

"You should be flattered," Freddie said to the blonde pirate. "How often can Mal care about someone she hated so much before? You have Harry back, so I don't think she'll pick you."

"That's comforting," CJ said sarcastically.

"Are we gonna keep being casual about this or are we gonna get down to business?" Jordan asked.

"Do we even have to be here?" Uma asked. "Or do you want us here to make your final choice?"

"I want you all to be here for what I'm about to do," said Mal. "I know you're all scared thinking I'm gonna take the life of one of the people I care about, but this is where it all ends. After this, it's peace at last. No more wars. No more violence." She glances at Uma and says, "Unless someone decides to break the peace."

"Get us home first, Princess, and then we'll talk," said Uma.

"You certain of that, luv?" Harry asked his captain.

"Not really," said Uma. "But do you want the violence to stop?"

"A topic for discussion when we return to the real world," said Harry.

"Uh, just in case you ask, I want it to stop," Gil said as he raised his hand. "I mean, can't we all just be one happy family? I mean, we don't entirely hate each other. Here we are, not trying to kill each other."

"I know some of you might now like this, but I actually prefer that," said Jane. "We're here for a new beginning. Not to continue a cycle of death. Like my mom says, focus on the future, not the past. Our wars are our past..."

"And peace is our future," Ben finished. "We can't just ask you to abandon your evil ways, Uma, but we encourage you to think about it. For our sake and for the sake of both our people."

"We're gonna be stuck here all day talking about this," Uma complained.

"Hey, the reason you're here with us is because Mal wants us to make nice with each other," Jay reminded. "Either we do that or we draw our swords again."

Uma looks at her rival and asks, "Is there any way you can delete this conversation from our memories?"

"I don't know how this is going to work, Uma," said Mal. "But even if I do that, we would still have this conversation back home."

"New beginnings, Uma," said Evie. "That's what this phase in our lives is all about. One of your crew members wants to be good. The other just wants something different because of his sister. You have to decide how much the people around you mean to you."

"And what if, if ever, I decide I don't care?" Uma challenged.

"But you do care," Carlos surmised. "That's all we're asking you to base your viewpoint on. Besides, we all know you can't beat Mal."

"Uh, I hate to be the caterpillar blowing nasty vapor at your nostrils, but people are dying," Ally interrupted, having witnessed a few killings via the drone's footage.

"So, Eleanor, do you have that piece of gold we need?" Evie asked.

"I do," said Eleanor.

Eleanor gives Mal the piece of gold that has to be placed on the bark of a certain tree. The pond opens like one of those secret doors from the movies. As soon as the water fell below, everyone jumped in (except for Eleanor, who still had to be poofed in and out of places). They walked down the tunnels until they reached the cavern where the secret slide is. Everyone goes for a joy ride as they reach the bottom. The giant room with the giant doors outside where the Wishing Well once was. Well, the giant doors that _were_ outside where the Wishing Well once was. For some reason, the doors lie on the ground in cracks as if something blew it off its hinges.

"Believe me, I had no idea either," said Eleanor, remembering when she came here before.

"At least now I know why you told us not to steal any magical object," said Mal.

"So, it comes down to one choice," Evie said gravely.

"One life to save us all," Carlos said fearfully.

"Yeah," Mal frowned. "Listen, guys, before we do this, there is something I need to get off my chest."

"If it's an apology, save it," said Uma.

"Actually, I can't," said Mal.

Mal slowly steps back with one hand behind her back. That one hand was glowing with the Wishing Well's power. As she faced everyone with a face full of regret and despair, she spoke of what she needed to say to all of them. However, the look on her face was scaring them.

"All I ever wanted was a family," Mal started.

"Mal," Jay interrupted, worried.

"A family that would accept me for who I am, no matter what," Mal continued.

"Mal," Evie interrupted, nervous.

"Whether you forgive me or not for what I've done in the past, what matters is what I think of myself," said Mal.

"Mal," Carlos interrupted, anxious.

"Forgiveness. My pursuit, but not of the kind you think of," said Mal.

"Mal," Ben interrupted firmly.

"I'm sorry," Mal apologized. "I wish I didn't have to, but..."

Mal stopped when she sensed something. The despair on her face is replaced with mild fear. Something was coming. Someone was coming. She had to turn off the Well's magic that she was just about to use due to what she is sensing.

"Get down," Mal said quietly.

"Why?" asked Uma.

"I said, get down!" Mal repeated.

Everyone runs and takes cover as Mal fires a wave of dark magic at the ceiling. It caused a little quake. A few rocks fell down, but no one was harmed. But most noticeably, that magic wave caused something invisible to become visible and crash down to the ground. It was a dragon. A huge dragon with dark purple scales and glowing green eyes.

"Mother," Mal muttered with shock.

Maleficent transformed back to her human form. She wipes some dust and dirt off her cloak as she stands on her two feet to look at her daughter in the eye.

"How did you find me?" asked Mal.

"Astronomy. Don't make me explain. I can't," Maleficent answered quickly. "Now, I must say, the Wishing Well, huh? I didn't think it even existed. But speaking of which, where is it?"

"What Wishing Well?" Mal asked, acting dumb.

"Don't play dumb with me, young lady. I know about the Well," said Maleficent.

Maleficent walks to the very center of the cavern and tries to sense for unknown magic. Wishing Well magic. But she senses nothing but a tiny bit of magic, which just feels like regular magic lingering in the air.

"Maybe the Well doesn't exist," Mal joked. "Have you considered that maybe we're just here to hide?"

"Stop toying with me, Mal!" Maleficent shouted.

"You're not gonna find anything," said Mal.

Carlos recovers from the _almost_ cave-in and fires the magical arrow at Maleficent. Unfortunately, Maleficent saw it coming and magically stopped it, freezing it in mid-air before it her.

"Interesting. Infused with my own daughter's magic," Maleficent said, examining the arrow.

"Oops," Carlos said to himself.

"Dude, don't you still have magic?" asked Jay.

"No, because Hades' brother Diavolos is not my father in this world," said Carlos.

Carlos draws his bow back to fire another arrow, only for Maleficent to slam her scepter to the ground and cast a spell. Everyone in the cavern except for Mal and Maleficent was now frozen in place. They can't move, just like back at Coronation Day. Mal was unaffected because, well, she's more powerful than her mother. But she wasn't just gonna stand around after this.

"Oh, very funny, mother," Mal said sarcastically.

Mal was about to cast some magic of her own, but thorns come out of the ground and tangle up her arms and legs to keep her from doing so. They were Maleficent's thorns, of course. No one can forget about the infamous thorny forest that Maleficent cast around King Philip's castle once. Mal tried burning through the thorns, but it wasn't working. She tried breaking out through strength, but it didn't work either. The enchantment in the thorns are dulling her magic.

"I didn't become the evilest of them all by being an idiot, Mal. I know when to be prepared, especially for my own daughter," said Maleficent. "Now, where is the Wishing Well?"

"You think some prickly vines are gonna get me to talk? You're out of your mind, Mom," said Mal.

"Fine," said Maleficent. "Maybe your friends will talk."

Maleficent poofs next to Gil. He was in a rather hilarious pose after being frozen. It was the kind of pose you make when you beg someone, "Please don't hurt me." Maleficent holds the Dragon's Eye close to his face. Even though his face was broken, she can definitely see the fear on him. She decides to unfreeze his face, allowing him to speak.

"I know you. You're Gaston's idiotically obedient son," said Maleficent. "Tell me. Where is the Wishing Well?"

"I... I..." Gil refused to speak, no matter how scared he was.

"Don't say anything," Mal ordered.

"Have it your way, Gills," Maleficent said insultingly.

Maleficent presses her scepter's eye on Gil's chest and starts casting magic, hurting him on the inside with dark magic. His pained scream gets louder and louder with each passing second. It was hard to hear.

"Okay! Okay! The Wishing Well is inside Mal. She has to sacrifice one of us to fix everything," Gil confessed, having surrendered to the pain.

"You idiot!" Mal shouted.

"Every one of you, huh?" Maleficent asked with a smirk.

"Sorry," Gil apologized.

"I oughta sacrifice you for that," Mal growled.

"Well, I did come here with something special for all of you, but I had no idea it would be so useful," Maleficent said as she laughed evilly between words.

Mal continues to fail to break free of her mother's thorns. Maleficent, meanwhile, starts waving her scepter around and then pounds the ground with the Dragon's Eye, casting another evil spell. A wave of green magic spreads throughout the entire cavern, affecting everyone caught in it. The freezing spell is gone, but that has been replaced with something worse. Something familiar.

"I don't feel... I don't feel well, guys," Carlos said.

Carlos drops to his knees and shook. Everyone else did as well, dropping as if their own bodies were failing them pretty quickly. They couldn't fight back against this spell, as every effort only hastened their suffering. Mal immediately recognized this spell. It was the same spell her mother cast on the resistance back on the Isle. The same crippling spell that slowly snuffs the life out of anyone until they can no longer move or breathe. Mal's immense power makes her more tolerant to this curse, but it wasn't her own well-being she was concerned about.

"Mal, help us," Jay cried.

"My brain's melting," Jane cried.

"Un... sweet... mushroom... tea-bub-a-loo," Ally babbled.

"Mal, do something," Evie pleaded.

Mal crawled her way towards Ben, who was suffering just as much as everyone else. It hurts to move, his body feels weaker after every second, and the need to close his eyes grows stronger. Mal holds him in her arms and begs him to stay awake. She tries using that same spell she used to remove her mother's spell, but for some reason, it didn't work this time. She tried again, but it still didn't work. Maleficent strengthened her curse, clearly (another case of being very prepared for this very encounter).

"No. Ben. No, no, no, no, no. Please, stay awake," Mal cried, afraid of what would happen to him.

"Mal," Ben said weakly.

"No, don't speak. Just listen to my voice," Mal said.

"Mal," Ben said again. He wasn't gonna let pain keep him from speaking. "Self-sacrifice... that's what you were hiding, wasn't it? You were gonna... gonna..."

"I'm really sorry, Ben," said Mal.

"You promised we would have a future," Ben remembered.

"I know," Mal said as a tear fell from her face. "But I didn't want you to think I was abandoning you because I don't love you. Nothing would make me happier than to be with your forever. But I couldn't sacrifice any of you, especially you. I'd rather die than live with the pain. If anyone deserves to die, it's me."

"Don't... don't say... don't say that," Ben said. His voice was getting weaker.

"I'm sorry I was about to do that to you, but it was the only choice I can make where no one has to suffer because of me," said Mal. "It was to be my penance. The end of everyone's suffering."

"But we will suffer... without you... you know that," said Ben.

Ben flinches because of more pain until he starts to calm down. He wasn't calming down because the pain was ending. His life was ending. His eyes close as his breathing becomes slower, much to Mal's horror.

"No, no, Ben! No! Ben! No!" Mal cried.

"Mal," Audrey called weakly, trying desperately to reach out her hand. "What is... wha..."

"I can't... move," Jay said as he lied down.

"You were... supposed... t-to save us," CJ grunted.

"No. No. No," Mal cried further.

"Oh, don't be so melodramatic, Mal," said Maleficent. "You don't need them. They only slow you down."

"They were my family, Mom," Mal snarled. "A concept you clearly know nothing about."

"Weak," Maleficent insulted. "Still weak as ever, Mal. You maybe powerful, but you're still weak. Love. Friendship. Sentiment. Why do you insist on feeling these things? It's pathetic."

"No," Mal muttered angrily as he eyes glowed. "No, it's not."

Mal's anger rises as a transformation process begins. Purple smoke engulfed Mal and everyone could hear a little roar inside the purple cloud. The purple smoke rose higher and grew bigger. The roar inside became louder and louder. Once the purple smoke vanished, Mal revealed herself in her dragon form. She glared vengefully at her mother and roars at her. She breathes fire directly at Maleficent, but the Mistress of Evil shields herself with her cloak as she too begins a transformation process.

"Let's even things up, shall we?" Maleficent said.

Maleficent transforms into her dragon form as well. The cavern may be big, but it's not big enough for two dragons (it could barely even fit Mal's dragon form and Uma's giant eight-tentacled form at the same time). Flying space is limited and there is the danger of accidentally hurting/burning someone if a fight is to break out. But a fight is what was gonna happen.

Mal starts by ramming into her mother, pushing her down towards the enormous doorway. Jay had to roll out of the way to avoid getting crushed. Maleficent scratches her daughter across the face and blasts fire at her to push her off. Mal tries whacking her mother with her tail, but Maleficent bit her daughter's tail. Mal cries out in pain as Maleficent breathes a large amount of fire at her. The large and powerful fire pushes Mal towards the ceiling. The collision caused more rocks to fall. CJ had to roll out of the way, only to fall into the lake. Being unable to move, CJ was unable to save herself, much to Harry's horror.

"CJ... no!" Harry cried.

Maleficent rams her daughter hard and sends her crashing down to the ground. Maleficent scratches her daughter's face again and smacks her on the head with her tail. Mal was losing.

"Gotta... help her," Carlos said to himself.

Seeing the arrow that Mal enchanted still lying on the ground, Carlos crawled his way over to it. Every time he stresses himself, the curse weakens his body even more, pushing him closer to his end, but he wasn't gonna let that stop him from helping his friend. After grabbing the arrow, Carlos draws his bow back and aims at Maleficent.

"Let's see what you can do," he said.

Carlos releases the string as his arms give out. The arrow successfully hits Maleficent, causing her to flinch. The arrow didn't hurt, but what it did to her magically hurt a lot. Maleficent cries out in pain as the arrow begins to negate her magic. First, Maleficent falls on her side, roaring in agony. Next, she begins transforming back to her normal form. She continues to cry in pain. The arrow wasn't killing her, though. It was taking away her magic.

Mal transforms back to normal, a little beat up but still able to walk. She pulls the arrow out of her mother sees that the tip of arrowhead was glowing all kinds of green. It was Maleficent's magic, all absorbed into one little tiny speck on the tip of the arrow. That's what Mal enchanted the arrow to do. To take away her mother's power completely.

"What have you done?" asked Maleficent. "Why can't I feel my... my magic?"

"No more party tricks for you," Mal growled.

Unfortunately for Mal, everyone was still feeling weak. The curse wasn't lifted from removing Maleficent's magic. Everyone was still lying on the ground waiting for their end. And the sight of Harry crawling towards the lake saying CJ's name only made it much worse.

"The curse is not to linked to my magic, Mal. It's linked to my life energy," said Maleficent. "You want to save your friends, then use this."

Maleficent reaches for the bottom of her scepter and pulls out a shrunken Sword of Truth. Mal smacks the scepter off her mother's hand and takes the Sword of Truth, growing it back to its original size.

Maleficent started to laugh. "You know, I did not expect this when I was planning my preparations. The curse. The sword. I never thought how much all of this would mean until that idiot son of Gaston's spilled the beans. One choice is all it takes. One choice to prove who you really are."

"Shut up, Mom," Mal snarled as she pointed the sword at her mother's face.

"Kill me and you save your friends and Auradon. Let me live, you're all doomed," said Maleficent.

"Just shut up," Mal said again.

"But you won't do it," Maleficent said with an evil smile. "You want us to have a normal mother-daughter relationship and stuff, but you can't do that if I'm dead. I can see the struggle in your eyes. You wouldn't trade lives just for the world. All you care about is what's best for yourself. A bad motivation for _good_ reasons."

"I can't... I can't... I won't," Mal cried as she fought the urge to use the sword.

"Then show me, baby girl," Maleficent dared. "Are you my daughter or not?"

Mal fought against the tears the hand that held the sword shook. "All I wanted was to have a normal family. A family with my own mother in it. My life before the storm was already perfect. I had everything, except you. All because of this stupid good vs. evil stuff, you refuse to open your eyes to what's really important for both of us."

"And all I wanted is for us to rule the world together as mother and daughter," said Maleficent. "But you keep insisting on putting on this facade that you even believe is true. You may not have the will to kill me, but you're still as bad as they come."

A few tears rain down from Mal's eyes as her hand shook faster. "Don't you love me?"

"You're not giving me a reason to," Maleficent replied. "Well, what are you waiting for?! Drop the sword or use it!"

After a few more seconds of struggling, Mal screamed at the top of her lungs. Her scream echoed across the caves as she brought the sword down towards her mother. Only...

She missed.

The sword struck the dirt on the ground, just inches from Maleficent's face. Mal cried as her grip on the sword's handle weakened. She couldn't do it, not even for her friends. But what is she going to do. She's come this far to get everything she ever wanted only to face the most impossible choice even given to her. She stood and walked away, only for her to drop to her knees due to the gravity of her emotions. Her grip on the sword tightened as she remembered what would become if this was truly her final choice concerning her mother's fate. She closed her eyes and let the tears fall as she has basically given up on wondering what to do.

Suddenly, someone grabbed Mal's hand - the hand that held the sword - and turned it to another direction. Mal turns her head to see that it was...

Eleanor.

She grabbed Mal's hand and struck herself with the sword. Before any one of them could talk, the golden glow from the Wishing Well's magic appeared on Mal's hand as what appeared to be Eleanor's soul started escaping her body and being transferred to a little glowing golden sparkle.

"No. No, no. No, Eleanor. Why?" Mal asked, shocked and confused.

"Loophole," Eleanor said weakly. "As long as your hand is stained with our blood, the sacrifice will suffice."

"But why?" Mal asked. "Why would you do this?"

"There's no time," said Eleanor. "Make the wish."

"But what about you?" Mal asked. "Your mom. Your friends..."

"It's not about me," Eleanor said with a smile. "Just promise me... forgive yourself... Never take it back."

"Can I?" Mal cried.

"I know you can," Eleanor said in spite of the pain.

More and more of Eleanor's life energy is being transferred into the little sparkle that holds the Wishing Well's magic. Mal looked at Eleanor. The way the daughter of the Enchantress stared at the face of death, she seemed content.

"My mother's mission... it's finally complete," Eleanor smiled. "Tell Ben, tell everyone, I love them."

And those were Eleanor's final words. Her eyes close, her head rests on the ground, and her hands falls from the sword. The little golden sparkle shined with a glow that lit up the entire cavern. All Mal has to do is touch it and make her wish. But she hesitated. Is it because of guilt over Eleanor's sacrifice? Is it because she doesn't know what would happen? Is it because she is afraid of a future? Despite her hesitation, she reaches for it.

"No!" Maleficent cried.

Mal hand closes around the little sparkle and the whole world is caught in a bright white glow...

 **You might be asking, "What happened?"**

 **Tune in to the true FINAL chapter and find out.**


	26. A Future Certain, Or Is It?

**"What happened?" Well, that question is about to be answered in this final chapter. "A Whole New World" has honestly been the toughest story I've written in this series. I've become exhausted halfway and I can only do my best to make it good or great. Anyways, enjoy the final chapter.**

 **Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, CarvieCamfia2, Descendants123**

 ** _To Descendants123_: If you've read my profile, then the answer is no. This is not the last part of the series. It's only Part 5 of a 7-part series. There will be two more stories before it's all over.**

 **Note: _Italics_ mean narration by Mal.**

Mal wakes up after what felt like an eternity of brightness. The last thing she remembered is touching a golden sparkle that was activated by the absorption Eleanor's soul. A bright light once again takes over her sight, closed eyes and all, and the light remained until she finally opened her eyes. Last time she felt something like this, she woke up to a horrible new world. And then her eyes opened to a dark room and she feared the worst. But then she looked around and saw that this dark room is not her bedroom... from the villain-dominated world, that is.

It's her bedroom in her mother's castle on the Isle of the Lost. The "Core Four" graffiti on the wall. Tidy but not mess-free. The blandly-colored stain glass window. It is definitely the bedroom she slept in for most of her life.

Mal puts on her favorite purple jacket and heads out to the balcony. Not only is her room no different than she remembered but the village is also pretty much the same. Everything good she's done to improve the lives of the people on the Isle, it's all still there.

 _"I know what you're thinking. Am I banished again? Has everyone gotten so sick of me and my black thumb that they decided to boot me back to the Isle for good? Well, no. No, not really. I mean, if you remember, I am still the queen of this island. I can sleep here if I want to. Senior Year is over, after all. And just in case you don't know, a couple of months have passed here. I know. Weird, right? I spent two months in that nightmarish new world, only to wake up back here in the real world and find out that the amount of time that has passed is also two months. You'd think I missed much. Well, it was pretty easy to catch up, actually."_

Mal grabs her scooter and drives it towards the broken bridge at the edge of the Isle. Using her spell book, her scooter floats in the air and runs right on top of the blue waters. Mal decided to have a little fun and even dips the front wheel into the water, creating a majestic splash. Despite a few water droplets on her jacket, Mal shrugs it off and does some zigzagging in the water with the front wheel still dipped in the water.

 _"What? Still can't believe I can be such a truly fun girl? Get used to it."_

* * *

Mal drives to Northern Wei to see a certain someone. She parks right at Northern Wei University. Much like the Northern Wei itself, it's closed around a tall wall (not as tall as The Great Wall, but still pretty tall; about 20 feet). Mal was happily welcomed into the university, showing that her attempt to mend ties with the people of Auradon has not faltered the past couple of months.

Heading to the training grounds on the outside, Mal stayed hidden as she looked for the person she's been looking for. And she found her, waving her sword in all directions in an attempt to keep her sparring partner from beating her. After this person won her R.O.A.R. sparring match, she removes her helmet, revealing her long and wavy brown hair, as well as a face that reminds everyone of the famous Mulan.

 _"Lonnie."_

Lonnie's sparring partner walks away while the daughter of Mulan stays to practice on training dummies. She may be sweating, but she still has energy to keep practicing her sword skills.

 _"It worked. She's right here. Alive and well and back to doing what she does best. Swinging a sword. I can still feel the sting of losing her in war, but it's a miracle that she's come back to us. Probably a good thing she doesn't remember what happened to her. No one should have the horrendous memory of their own death like I do. I can handle it. Lonnie can't. I mean, look at her. How can you even think about reminding someone so energetic and lively about their own demise?"_

Lonnie's practice was cut short when she heard someone trying to climb up the wall from the other side. Once Mal saw the beanie sticking out from the top, she immediately knew who it was before his head even came in view.

It was Jay.

Jay sits down on top of the wall and tosses down a rope for Lonnie. Lonnie, however, opts for jumping off a couple of trees, leaping off their barks and branches, until she made it to the top of the wall, much to Mal and Jay's amazement. Lonnie kisses Jay on the cheek as she snuggles against him.

 _"First week of college and these two lovebirds are not wasting any time planning their first visit. Jay's attending Agrabah University. And since Agrabah and the Northern Wei are neighbors, leave it to two lovers who are so in love that they'll find any opportunity to see each other. Let's just hope Jay remembers that there is more to his life than just Lonnie, or he'll get expelled."_

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Mal found it odd that Uma and her crew (loyal or betrayers) were nowhere to be found in Auradon. As it turns out, they are currently sailing the seas on The Lost Revenge. Uma captains the ship, as always. Standing by her side are Harry, Gil, CJ, Harriet, Anthony, and... Sophie. Yen Sid's apprentice, Sophie, is on board The Lost Revenge, not as a prisoner but as a part of the crew.

Gil and Sophie chat in a very flirtatious manner as they gaze upon the oceans' water.

Harriet and Anthony isolate themselves from the rest while holding each other close.

CJ keeps an eye on things from the crow's nest.

Harry was watching his sister from below, as well as the ship's captain behind the wheel. He's just thinking.

As for Mal, she was still on her scooter, floating right above The Lost Revenge. The crew can't see her because she cast an invisibility spell on herself and her scooter. She just relaxed and felt the calm atmosphere surrounding The Lost Revenge.

 _"After the Wishing Well didn't work in Uma's favor, there was a huge debate on what we should do with her and her crew. They threatened Auradon, tried to sabotage my trial, and killed an innocent man. But CJ's sacrifice, the love she and Harry share, as well as Gil and Ginny's betrayals, all that convinced us take banishment out of the option list. Instead, we thought that maybe they need actual freedom to change. So, we sent them sailing. Free to loot any lost treasure they find, to do whatever they want, just as long as they don't threaten Auradon ever again. Sophie volunteered not just to keep an eye on them but to also be with Gil. Those two are basically the crew's babysitters. There to make sure that Uma, Harry, Harriet, Anthony, and even CJ remember why they're sailing. To find peace in themselves, to feed on each other's potential goodness, and to embrace change. Good change. Plus, they might actually help me sate my curiosities about the uncharted lands beyond Auradon."_

Mal turns around and rides away from The Lost Revenge, having seen enough to assure her that everything is fine with the crew on board.

 _"Oh, and if you're asking about what happened to Clay Clayton, he's the only one we banished back to the Isle. He's unfrozen, but traumatized. So, best for him to stay at home and recover."_

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Mal heads for Charmington next. Charmington University is her destination. Just like with Jay going to college at the city where his parent's nemesis lives, Evie also goes to college where her mother's nemesis lives. Evie not only continued her fashion business in college but is also a student teacher at the "Fairest Is Fairest" class. Good for her, right? Definitely. Well, if only she were at the university to talk about it with Mal. When Mal asked for Evie's whereabouts, she was told that Evie is out due to "personal matters."

 _"Suspicious."_

This lead Mal to look for Carlos, who isn't attending any universities. Why is that? FutureTech offered him a 4-year internship to cover for his college education. Carlos assists in so many fields, such as nanotechnology and biotechnology. But he is also part of the company's repair services. He is very adept at solving electronic problems, whether it's analyzing or fixing. When Mal asked the staff where Carlos is, they said that he's out due to "personal matters."

 _"Really suspicious."_

One intern mentioned that he asked Carlos, "Got a date or something?" Carlos' answer was, "Something like that." That can only lead to the obvious conclusion that Carlos is on a date with no-one-but-Mal-knows-who. But there is no way they could be going to a restaurant or a park since they wanted to keep their relationship a secret. So, Mal started to think of possible locations where they could be having their date.

 _"Maybe I'll check up on them another time. There's someone else I have to see."_

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Mal rides her scooter to the Enchanted Wood. As she parked her scooter, she sensed something. Something magical. She sneaks into the neighboring forest towards the direction where she can sense the magic. Keeping her purple-lit hand up in case of a fight, she tip-toes not-so-slowly through the trees and bushes as she closes in whatever magical object is here. "Whatever" and "object" being the key words as Mal can sense the difference between magical being and magical object. Her senses led her close to the falls. Just as Mal was close to the object, she heard giggling. Evie's giggling.

Mal peers around a tree and sees Evie... with Carlos. Sitting on a picnic blanket filled with picnic food (if chocolate, apples, and chocolate-coated apples are what you can call picnic food). The magic that Mal sensed came from vanishing potions. That must explain how they were able to meet here despite the distances.

Right now, Evie is showing Carlos some ideas for some new stylish clothes she wants to suggest to Charmington's fashion industry. Carlos, having an affinity for fashion as well, gives her some tips for improvement or to just tell her when something looks over-the-top. She hasn't disagreed with him and he hasn't judged her. They keep feeding each other chocolate, popping one into each other's mouths in very cutesy fashion.

 _"Looks like these two are finally doing it. They're finally spending time together not as friends. But something more. Call me a fangirl squealing upon seeing her favorite ship finally sail, but I won't deny that I feel that way. Yes, I know that sounds weird and wrong coming from me since I dated Carlos without caring about his feelings for Evie. But I'll gladly take the judgment because all that matters now is that the SS Carvie has finally sailed. Hey, it was either that or Carlie or Evlos and both are terrible ship names."_

Soon enough, Evie starts kissing Carlos. Kissing him so strongly that she pushes him on his back. Carlos kisses her back, but she clearly wanted this more at this moment. Mal turns around and departs.

 _"Okay, I think I better leave. I don't want to be here in case these two get... crazier or something. Oh, don't look at me like I'm a hypocrite. I've had my crazy times with Carlos, sure, but none of that matters now. He deserves crazy times with the woman he loves the most. Besides, I didn't come here to look for them. I came here to see someone else."_

 **~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ROTTEN TO THE CORE ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

Mal heads back to the forest next to the one Evie and Carlos are in, which was the Enchanted Wood. Mal keeps walking deeper into the Enchanted Wood until she found what she came here for. A gravestone. On the gravestone is a name. The name written on the gravestone is...

Eleanor.

The gravestone described as "Beloved Daughter, Friend, and Sister."

Ben. That's who the "sister" must come from. Ben and Eleanor have thought of each other as family ever since the day of that car crash. They may not be related by blood, but they love each other like they're blood relatives.

 _"When I first met Eleanor, she was a reminder of my dream. A blonde girl wearing glasses sitting on a wheelchair. I knew she would be important to my future. I just didn't know how much. The daughter of the Enchantress. And nobody knew. She didn't want anyone to know, all because of her mother. I think she and I can relate in some way. We both tried so hard to impress our mothers. I did it by trying to be the baddest girl I can be. She did it by trying not to fail her mother's quest. We both abandoned our foolish attempts because we both wanted more. I wanted to be good. She wanted to fully embrace the friends and family she has. She sacrificed herself to save those she loved. She sacrificed herself to save all of us."_

Mal places a green dahlia on Eleanor's grave. Whatever flower she placed on her grave on the day of the funeral, it wasn't really her. That was two months ago and she only just "woke up" today.

 _"She was more than just her mother's mission. She was more than just a blonde on a wheelchair. She was good person who just wanted to be like everyone else. The life she lived on that wheelchair, it was the life she wanted... well, probably minus the wheelchair. But, more or less, a normal life and a loving mother is all she ever wanted. Ever since she and I got to know each other, all she wanted for me is to see that I can still have the future I wanted. To forgive myself for my past sins in order to move on. I couldn't find any motivation to forgive myself, not in myself or with Ben or any of my friends. But Eleanor, she became that motivation. She and I, we really didn't know each other aside from reputation and family issues. But she believed I deserved to live more than she did. I wanted to sacrifice my own life because I believed everyone deserved to live more than I do. But she thought different. She died believing I can still be a force for good. If someone who didn't know me well could do something so extreme to show me that I am no living poison, then maybe I can believe in myself. Forgive myself."_

Mal stand and leaves, but not before saying one more thing...

"Thanks, Eleo," said Mal.

Mal turns and walks away, only to see something that made her freeze. It was Eleanor, but she looked like a ghost or something. She was smiling at her. She nodded at the sorceress. Mal can only smile back and give her a nod of respect.

Unexpectedly, someone showed up in a bright light. An adult woman who is like the grown-up version of Eleanor. Blonde hair, green dress, gold tiara, and all. Mal didn't need to ask to know who it is.

It's the Enchantress herself.

The Enchantress takes hold of her daughter's hand. Eleanor reacted as if she can actually feel her mother's touch. Mal expected Eleanor to be angry. Instead, Eleanor just hugged her mother. A hug that the Enchantress could feel, despite Eleanor supposed ghost form.

Enchantress gives Mal a little smile before vanishing with her daughter.

 _"Whoa."_

* * *

Mal approaches at Beast Castle. It's clear she's here to see you-know-who. She hesitated for a moment. Nobody knows that it's been two months for her. Whatever happened in the past two months here in the real world is a mystery to her, unless she does some research and talks to some people. But she didn't ask anyone about her and Ben. She wanted to find out for herself. Two months is an awfully long time in a relationship... if one even exists between them. Who knows what could've happened? Ben may remember, but Mal doesn't. The only thing she can do is walk up to him and be casual until she can either kiss him or leave him.

Just as she was about to walk forward, she heard someone behind her.

Mal slowly turns around and sees him. The handsome face with the honey brown locks on top, wearing his blue suit with the Auradon crest on it. In one word...

Ben.

The two stood at a safe distance from one another in silence. They waited for each other to speak, but that only lead to more silence. Neither took a step forward either. Whatever was running through Ben's mind, Mal couldn't tell. But she knew what was running through her own mind. Fear. Fear of rejection. Fear of a non-existent future between them. She couldn't be subtle about it either. Not this time. Her emotions were easily read as her face was more expressive than usual. As for Ben, she could tell that he was nervous. Nervous about what, though?

But then Ben smiled at her. This made Mal smile back. Mal took one step forward. Ben took one step forward. Mal took another step forward. Ben took another step forward. After repeating this a couple more times, they just walked fast towards one another. Mal wraps her arms around Ben as he wraps his around hers and their lips connected instantly. Whatever she doesn't know about the two months, Mal can tell from the kiss that Ben still loves her just the same, if not more.

After a lengthy and passionate kiss, the two embraced each other. Ben closed his eyes and let the happiness in him dominate his heart. Mal rested her head on Ben's shoulder as she...

Smirked. And her eyes glowed a sparkling green. Ben couldn't see this, however.

 _"Oh, I almost forgot to mention. While I did use the Wishing Well to restore the world back to normal, I may have made a few changes. I mean, CJ was supposed to be dead, remember? Well, one change I made is that my magic actually succeeded in healing her wound. But that's not all. You may think that no one but me remembers the fake world. Well, while that's true, it's not completely true. I may have intentionally... or accidentally... left some memories from the the fake world in the minds of those whose memories were restored before Eleanor's sacrifice. But I didn't remind them of everything. Lonnie's death is one I couldn't allow to linger in their minds. No, I left only certain moments crucial to their growth. Moments that I feel would help them grow up a little. I may not want them to remember the fake world, but I wanted it to affect their future in some way. Uma, for example, wouldn't have agreed to this therapeutic sail across the seven seas and considered turning over a new scale if she didn't remember Harry's resentment towards her in the fake world. As far as everyone knows, my interference with Uma's wish gave us visions of what a new world would look like. It may be cruel of me to remind them of that hellish world in any way, but..."_

Mal turns over her left hand and poofs Evie's Magic Mirror on it. She silently commands it to show Maleficent, who is a lizard once again but locked away somewhere no one but Mal knows.

 _"There are so many ways to be wicked."_

 **THE END**

 **Finally. We have finally reached the end. Again, this was the story I have felt the most exhausted writing about out of all my Descendants stories (from the "Forever Wicked" series, to be specific). All the planning, and the writing, just to get this very moment, it was anything but easy. But worth it.**

 **So, what do you think? If you leave a review, I would like you consider answering the following questions (don't answer if I'm asking too much):**

 **1\. What was your favorite thing about the new world?**

 **2\. What did you think about Eleanor as a character and her story, from beginning to end?**

 **3\. Mal and Maleficent's mother/daughter relationship. Be honest with me. How did you think I handled it?**

 **4\. Any thoughts on Mal's confession at the very end?**

 **If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask. Keep an eye on your PM (Private Messaging) box for my responses to your reviews.**

 **That is all for now.** **See you in Part 6. One thing I can tell you about it is that it's gonna be like Part 1. I just need time to plan it. After this story (again, it was very exhausting), I need a little break from Descendants. But I will be back. Promise. I want to see this series to the end.**

 **See ya'll next time!**


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